Of Thirty-One Days
by KH freak 813
Summary: Story gifted to Jazz. There has been so much that had passed between us during these thirty-one days, things I would have never thought to stumble across and emotions I would never have thought to feel... AU. Crossover between various fandoms. SasuNaru. Shounen-ai.
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers! I would like to thank **The Corrupted Nerd** for reviewing Jealous? I Think Not... along with favoriting it, **iKoffeeholic** for evaluating and favoriting it, **666snoopy** for doing so on both, **Jazz** for commenting on it and Always And Forever Yours, **Skulduggery's sidekick** including **enRei** for giving feedback on the first, **berry5tz** for praising the second and the primary not forgetting favoriting it, **SharinRaven876** prior to **skorpina18** for favoriting it, **Lil Pyromaniac** for favoriting and following it, **1KeyFun**, **ArcaneRaven**, **TsubakiUzumaki**, **The damon girl**, **Stacy20** in addition to **furubafeind95** for favoriting the former as well as **xxx. Syoshiro03 .xxx** besides **XxWildflowerxX** for favoriting including following it! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

This story is dedicated to** Jazz** for being the sole person to support me as I wrote Love Will Never Die. I hope you enjoy it! (:

If you like this, feel free to read the other stories on my profile! ^_^

WOO! I'm _FINALLY_ done with all three one-shots! YEAH! ^o^

Feel free to check them out too! J:

Thanks **The Corrupted Nerd**! I'm glad you like it! :I

It's fine **Jazz**! I'm happy that they won't mind! :3

I'll _TRY_ to make each chapter at least 2K—3K would _KILL_ me—but it'll depend on the situation...we'll see! :D

No problem! :1

I know! I'm glad you thought so! ^u^

Now that I think about it, I _REALLY_ see that line there too! :O

YAY! XD

I'm sorry for not replying to you in Always and Forever Yours! It's just that it would have felt _SO_ strange for me to write my response to you there since I acknowledged your review to Jealous? I Think Not... here! Sorry about that! I wasn't trying to be mean or thoughtless! ^^'

Thanks for your compliments in Always and Forever Yours! I'm so flattered! XD

Does it remind you of Not As Simple As It Sounds? I'm glad if it does! :I

Thanks for the comments **iKoffeeholic**! I really appreciate it! I know my style is a little strange but at least it's mine! I hope you can bear with it! :P

It sure is **Skulduggery's sidekick**! Thanks for the review! J:

Thanks for saying that **enRei**! I'm glad I could help! ^_^

Thank you **berry5tz**! I'm glad you like your one-shot and Jealous? I Think Not...! I _REALLY_ appreciate your understanding and praise! (:

Aww, thanks **666snoopy**! I'm glad you like both! :3

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

The 1st of December

"Ahoo!"

Winter was...such a bane. Jeez, who thought it was a good idea to blanket the earth in freezing, barren ice? Birds fly away from it. Bugs die in the presence of it. Plants withdraw as it comes about. Even beasts as unstoppable as bears hide in caves and sleep during that season. To think it was the first day of December...what an annoyance indeed.

"Stupid cold!" A blond boy bearing three whiskers on tan cheeks below dazzling azure orbs who was smothered in a thick coat grumbled out, talking to himself. "To think I had to run out of food _today _of all days!" The complainer groaned, continuing to mumble to himself as he entered a grocery store. "Finally! Heat!" The warm rays greeted the arrival, staving off the chills the outside environment had brought about. He then pulled out a list, scanning through it. "Ramen, ramen, ramen, even more ramen, miso ramen with extra pork..." He went on cruise control, virtually on autopilot as he reached the appropriate section. "Yes!" The shelves were _stuffed _with the desired product, the customer literally emptying each rack as he greedily brought what he wanted into his cart...which was _a lot_.

"Excuse me, could you help me out?" The browser swiveled around, now face to face with a male his age who had raven locks that framed his visage and matched his pupils as well as contrasting greatly with his pale skin. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha and I just moved here."

"Naruto Uzumaki." The flaxen took the other's hand, giving a firm shake. "What do you need?"

"Could you show me where the produce is?" The sable asked. "It looks like you need some too."

The listener nodded almost stiffly, not exactly sure what to make of that comment. "I'll lead the way." He did just that, the newcomer following him.

Their journey to the aisle went on in silence for some time. As the tawny repeatedly glanced at the stranger, the onyx quirked a brow. "Is there something you have to say?"

The reluctant made up his mind upon hearing the curt statement. "Are you going to attend my school?"

"Hn." The inquired grunted, shrugging. "Where else will I go? Isn't Konohagakure Academy the only institution around here?"

The vulpine _struggled_ to not let his eye twitch. After all, first impressions are _everything_. "Of course."

As they reached their destination, the seeker went straight for a certain area, almost robbing the space of all its items. "You sure _love_ tomatoes."

The quipped glimpsed back. "You sure _love_ noodles."

The teen couldn't cease the irritated spasms any longer. "They're _ramen_, not noodles!"

"Same thing." Before the offended could go preaching on the very _real _differences between the two, the obsidian's phone rang, prompting him to pick it up and ignore the upoarious shouting by his ear.

_"Get back home NOW."_

The device then beeped, indicating that the connection was broken. The bystander crossed his arms. "Who was that?"

"My brother." The responder sighed. "Get some vegetables and let's get going; I have to leave quickly."

The commanded mumbled consistently under his breath as he picked out some carrots which he could _hopefully _fry the repulsive taste out of before guiding the ungrateful jerk to the checkout.

As the cashiers scanned the purchases, the blond huffed. "Ah man! I have to walk back into the _cold_ in order to get home!"

The ebony quirked a brow. "Who in the world walks out into the cold? Someone who wants to get sick?"

"No, someone who doesn't have a car! Taxis are pretty much nonexistent over here, so that's out too!" That shut him up. "Geez, teme!"

The insulted reanimated. "Dobe."

"Ba—" The person behind them cleared her throat, halting their argument short as they were forced to leave immediately after paying.

Sasuke sighed. "Why don't I take you to my place?" Before the other could so much as open his mouth, the speaker continued. "I'm not trying anything. I need to hurry home and you don't want to walk in the cold; it's a win-win. Besides, we'll be classmates soon so you'll have to get to know me anyways."

Naruto groaned upon admitting defeat. "Fine. Thanks."

"Hn." He led the way to his vehicle, taking out his key and unlocking the doors once they reached it. "Get in." Upon seeing the guest's jaw literally dropping to the ground, the owner glared. "What?"

The rude growl snapped the stunned out of it. "How in the world did you get your hands on a Ferrari 458 Italia?! Aren't they like one of the most expensive cars in the world?!"

"I have my ways." The conceited smirked. "Now get in." The instructed ignored every warning he had _ever_ heard in his life about not getting into cars with strangers as he did just that, entering the passenger's side.

The transport hummed as it rode on, the trip occurring without a word exchanged until the driver finally pulled up to the house—no mansion. Iron gates guarded a long path towards a magnificent manor surrounded by lush trees and endless fields, giving the residence a grand aura of supremacy. "You live here?" The indifferent—almost apprehensive—expression surprised the visitor, not expecting that response—or lack thereof.

The two disembarked the machine, the inhabitant opening the front door before allowing the flaxen in. Seriously, is this even real? The decor on the interior made the exterior look like utter _crap_; only the most priceless decor from all over the world furnished the halls that literally looked as if they were made of gold as servants and maids greeted the duo, making the outsider feel out of place.

A man who appeared to ba an older version of the host save for having twin marks near the bridge of his nose, being taller, and having longer hair tied in a ponytail went to greet them, staring at his brother. "Otouto, who is this? Is he a new friend?"

"You can say that, nii-san." The queried shrugged.

The discussed decided to step into the conversation about himself. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I helped your sibling shop earlier! Nice to meet you!"

"Same here." The elder smiled. "I'm Itachi Uchiha. I'm sure my younger brother somewhat introduced me to you already."

The adolescent scratched the back of his neck. "I guess." He then stopped, curiosity lighting up his features. "If you guys just moved here, then why do you live in a place like this? I mean, it must take _years _to complete a building like this!"

"We just renovated an existing structure to fit out needs long before we came here." The older explained. "You don't know how far power can get you these days."

"Right..." The cryptic statement slightly intimidated the interviewer before he commenced once more. "What do your parents work as?" He missed the very visible flinch that passed through a certain someone.

However, the senior noticed, sighing. "Mother had...passed a few years ago due to disease."

The curious covered his hues behind his bangs. "Sorry about that."

The teller held his hands in a placating gesture. "It's fine; may she rest in peace. Father works as the head of the family business, Uchiha Incorporated."

"So you are _those_ Uchihas, huh?" The boy mused, completely ignoring the derisive snort comming from behind him. "Where were you before and how's it like here in Hi no Kuni?"

"It's nice." The major replied. "Before here, we resided in Kaze no Kuni and Sasuke attended Suna High there. Have you ever heard of it?"

"Yeah." The inquired confirmed. "It's the world leader in mining and oil, right?"

The minor snorted. "You're not as stupid as you look, usuratonkachi."

"Thin Hammer?!" The boy's brow was twitching _hard_ before he had managed to get it in control much to the displeasure of the cause. "So what are you guys doing here?"

His peer decided to answer this time. "Chichi-ue moved us here since this place has lower taxes and a great location for a new office. We arrived a few weeks ago and were settling in ever since."

"Right." The tawny was about to take a deep breath, ready to fire another question just when a servant entered the room.

"Sirs, I am here to inform you that the master of the house will be returning shortly." The messenger bowed politely before taking his leave.

The conceited's eyes widened in shock as he turned to his guest. "It's time for you to go now!"

The addressed was stunned, having no idea what was going on. "But I wasn't even here for that lon—"

"Just _go_!" The intensity of the stoic's voice further astonished him, prompting him to head out as the raven followed him. As they reached the car, they went in without a word before pulling out. "Tell me where you live."

The commanded did so, fidgeting in his seat. "Umm, my apartment is a little—"

"I don't care." The curt statement shut him up.

The blond tried again. "Why did your brother want you?"

The queried sighed. "He just wanted to be sure that I was home before father got back." They pulled up to the passenger's dingy apartment, the operator simply not bothering to show any deference as the other stepped out, groceries in tow. "What is it about your father—"

"There are some things you are better off not knowing." The speaker then drove away, not even sparing the flaxen a glance as he went out of sight.

Naruto continued to watch the vehicle until it vanished, finally entering his dwelling. "What's going on?"

* * *

Translation: Konohagakure=Hidden Leaf, Otouto=Little brother, nii-san=Big brother, Hi no Kuno=Fire Country, Kaze no Kuni=Land of Wind, Suna=Sand, usuratonkachi=thin hammer, Chichi-ue=Father

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	2. Chapter 2

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz **for reviewing the previous chapter twice plus **Sayuri36ani** for favoriting and following in addition to **QueenOfLights**, **1KeyFun **&amp; **ankwhat** for favoriting Not As Simple As It Sounds after reprising **himewolf** for favoriting Always And Forever Yours then later Maybe, Just Maybe... along with **Ink And Death** for favoriting Jealous? I Think Not... not forgetting **Mistress Prince-Snape** anterior to **Kai16Ray** for favoriting Love Will Never Die before **Free-dom. is. in. my. DnA** ahead of **toothie** for favoriting including following the second sans leaving out **Sabaku No Kaori **for favoriting it prior to **chocote** for favoriting the third and fourth! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Don't worry **Jazz**! I'll be sure to make this more of a drabble-style as the story progresses! (:

Thanks for understanding! I'll try to do 2K for each but I'm still glad! :1

Silly author?! How am I being silly?! o.O

I'm relieved that you're not upset! Sorry about that! ^^'

No problem to you too! ^_^

Oh, I see... /:

I'm sorry for not updating! It's just that I've been _SO_ swamped by _ENDLESS_ projects and homework that I don't have time for my stories! In fact, I've been getting six hours of sleep _MAX_ per night for the past month or so! However, since you want me to, I've decided to post this chapter! I can't let you or all of those kids down! ;)

It's fine! By the way, when _IS_ your birthday? What would you like for me to give you? :D

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Naruto continued to watch the vehicle until it vanished, finally entering his dwelling. "What's going on?"_

The 2nd of December

"Ahh, this is _so_ 'great'."

The day before had been a Sunday, meaning that the following one was the start of a new school week; a Monday. Who likes Mondays? Garfield sure doesn't. Naruto _swore_ that fat cartoon cat had been _right_; the day where all assignments that were shoveled down the students' throats were due, the day right after the way-too short weekend, the day marking the beginning of an apprehensive week...yep, that was Monday all right.

"What demented fiend took the sick pleasure in creating such a day?" The blond whined as he trudged towards his locker. He then abruptly paused, a tickling sensation overtaking him before a huge sneeze wracked his frame, shaking him to the very core. "On top of that, it's_ cold_." The boy then lifted his head, glaring at the ceiling as if some divine presence were right above him. "What did I do to deserve thi—"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Oh crap!" The upset snapped out of his definitely not depressing thoughts, directing his attention to the source of the shrieking, a look of upmost confusion replacing the loathing expression that was there just seconds ago."What's going on?!" The corridor was filled to the brim with awestruck maidens, the combined squealing surprisingly not shattering every glass object within the vicinity. The bystanders had to cover their ears in fear of going deaf. Suddenly, the crowd parted, revealing the object of the group's affections. "What the?!" It was...Sasuke Uchiha, that oh so kind guy the flaxen had met in the store! To the tawny's shock, the raven appeared to be unfazed, cooly strolling down the hall—hands in his pockets—as if he owned it, standing out immediately even though he wore the same uniform as every other male there.

"Teme!" The Uzumaki rushed up to the sable, not taking notice on how abruptly the area went into silence. "What are you doing here?!"

"Tch. Didn't I tell you that I would be transferring here yesterday, Usuratonkachi?" The inquired scoffed. "Dobe."

"Thin Hammer?! DEAD-LAST?!" One could _swear _that steam was flying out of the insulted's ears. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU AR—"

"WHO DO YOU THINK _YOU_ ARE?!" The girls screeched, the high pitches piercing the air. It was a wonder how the target didn't drop dead from the intensity of those hateful glares.

The loathed actually began fearing for his well-being—his was too young to die after all—as the mob closed in on him, his life flashing before his eyes.

"Matte." The intended cautiously blinked, taking in the sight before him; it was as if the females were dogs, following the stoic's command without second thought. "Leave." The crowd dispersed, groans of disappointment filling the area as they all went elsewhere.

The savior made to go away only to be grabbed by the shoulder, turning towards the hand's owner. "Thanks for that."

"Humph." The onyx once again made to exit solely to be stopped by the next few words.

"What happened yesterday?" The questioned glanced at the asker, pure concern flickering in his orbs.

The interrogated immediately faced away, contempt now evident in his features. "That's none of your business."

* * *

"What's that guy's problem?!"

Naruto _finally _managed to go to first period after having to dodge the detesting leers, nearly jumping out of his skin every time he felt a presence nearby. Barely making it before the bell, the blond trudged over to his seat, immediately plopping down next to his three closest friends. The arrival then proceeded to complain about his morning, the trio sympathizing; they had heard the horrible banshee wailing after all...

"Calm down Kiba." Shikamaru sighed, shaking his head. "It's just a classic case of a jerk who acts all high and mighty, somehow attracting all the girls around him despite his pompous tendencies."

Chōji tapped his chin in thought. "To think one of those is among us..."

"God, I know I don't pray very much, but please_ please_ make sure I don't run into that b****** again! I'm begging you!" The pleader was practically on his knees at that point. Everyone stared at him as if he were crazy, a certain group of ladies ready to slash his eyes out for that remark right when...

"Class, we have a new student." The room instantly quieted, the females returning to supposedly harmless states as the newcomer walked in.

"Please don't be him...please don't be him..." No such luck for the hapless boy.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." The surrounding windows began trembling, nearing collapse as the four tried to spare their poor ears. It was a complete mystery as to how the cause of the shrieking and the instructor weren't affected; a mystery indeed...

"Calm down." The squealing didn't cease however. "Quiet! We have classes next door!" Still nothing changed.

"SHUT UP ALREADY!" The primacy silenced just seconds later, the brunet panting for breath after screaming on the top of his lungs. He ignored the countless death glares as he sat himself down, brushing himself off.

"Thank you, Inuzuka." The adult cleared his throat. "Uchiha, you can sit beside..." The professor scanned the area, searching for a vacant spot.

"Please don't be me...please don't be me..."

"Uzumaki." Seriously, what happened to all of the flaxen's fortune? He gulped as the elder pointed at him, dread flooding his stomach as if he were awaiting a death sentence.

The raven nodded, calmly walking over to the designated locus while the other was sweating bullets. The stoic seated himself, quirking a brow at his neighbor. "What's up with you?"

The flustered scowled at the query. "What's up with _you_?! It's as if all the girls transform into screeching sirens when you are around!" The commenter did not notice the utterly _sinister_ aura radiating from those he insulted...until it was too late.

"YOU HAVE SOME NERVE TO CALL US THAT!" Mutilation and destruction seemed inevitable at that point. The victim froze, awaiting his fate—

"Matte."—or not. Starstruck, the lasses obeyed instantly, returning to a more docile demeanor.

The intended blew out a breath in relief. "Thanks, teme."

"Hn." The appreciated oh so kindly turned his head, not even sparing his peer a glance.

"What a jerk." The offended swiveled to the auburn who definitely wasn't being loud, the enamoured maidens too awed to intervene as the guy continued. "First, you basically start this ruckus by being your 'I'm better than you' self. Second, you almost cause my buddy to be killed and then what? Just as it appears you were being nice, you blow him off! Who do you think you are?!" Alas, the addressed did not reply, not even offering a glimpse to the accuser. "HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

The Nara sighed. "Don't bother; he's not going to respond."

The tawny stared at the sable, noticing a far-off look in his eyes. "What's going on with you, teme?"

* * *

"WOO! FRESH AIR! FREEDOM!"

The rest of the day had been...eventful to say the least. Who knew you could share _every_ class with one person as well as lunch? Naruto sure didn't...and what a shock it was; between facing imminent death from all the fangirls, the cries of "Sasuke-kun" reverberating from the walls everywhere he went, and trying to figure the cause of all that out, the flaxen could safely say he never had an experience like this..._ever_. It _definitely _was one he would _never_ want to repeat_ ever_ again. Sadly, like for everything concerning the enigma recently, the blond's wish will not be granted; it would be like this from now on, the unfortunate mused. How could he live through school now?! It had been torture as it was!

Yet as the seventh period bell rang, the hapless forgot all that as the infernal duration of the thinly disguised prison at last ended, being the first as always to rush out the door. He sped towards his locker, hastily extracting his backpack and other belongs before flying out.

"BYE KIBA! BYE SHIKAMARU! BYE CHŌJI!" The three shook their heads, smiling as they saw a certain idiot blurring past them. The enraptured weaved across the halls, miraculously not smashing into anyone before bursting through the entrance, greeted by the chilly winter air. "EVEN THE COLD WON'T BRING MY SPIRITS DOWN!" The hyped sported a blinding grin that almost melted all the snow as he stormed out, nothing possibly ruining his mood...

"Ikuzo, otouto."

"Un."

...Or so he thought. Those words snapped him out of his joy, bringing him back to earth. The flaxen watched as the Uchihas stepped into a limo, driving off into the distance. What he saw had disturbed him a bit; their cautious expressions and hushed voices were so uncharacteristic of the pair from what he knew.

_"There are some things you are better off not knowing."_

"What was he talking about?" More sober, the vulpine began walking at a steady pace, heading for his apartment. He then starting reflecting on what had occurred earlier on. "Sasuke seems like an arrogant jerk yet he stopped those girls from killing me all those times...is there more to him than I can see?" Rubbing his temples, he pondered a bit further. Snapping his eyes open, he came to a conclusion. "After what I had witnessed yesterday, there probably is more to him that his 'I'm better than you' attitude; _a lot_ more. Now how to bring it out..." The boy snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. "I'll be friends with him! Even if he doesn't want that, I'll persist until he gives in! After that, he'll trust me more and maybe confide in me; then I'll get to know him better!" The male grinned. "I bet we'll be close once he stops acting all pompous around me!" He beamed, snickering a little. "What a great plan!"

The Uzumaki finally arrived at his place, curiosity overtaking him as he spotted a note attached to his door. "What is this?" Taking off the tape, he read the contents.

The smile that had been on his face instantly faded, replaced by a furious growl. "WHAT THE H*** IS GOING ON?!"

The paper floated towards the ground as the infuriated hurried inside, rushing towards his phone. The sheet landed on the floor, its message displayed to all those who were nearby.

'NOTICE OF EVICTION IN TWO DAYS. PACK ALL OF YOUR POSSESSIONS AND LEAVE BEFORE THEN.'

Naruto was going to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

Translation: Usuratonkachi=Thin Hammer, Dobe=Dead-last, Matte=Wait, Ikuzo=Let's go, otouto=little brother, Un=Yeah

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	3. Chapter 3

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Nashi-ossu** for following and **ankwhat** for favoriting Maybe, Just Maybe...! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

He sure does **Jazz**! :3

ONLY THREE TO FOUR HOURS?! THAT'S _SO LITTLE_ AND I THOUGHT ONLY SIX WAS HORRIBLE! I FEEL SO BAD FOR YOU! ToT

No problem! I'm glad they have cooled down now! :D

Thanks! C:

It's fine! ^_^

I'm relieved that you aren't upset! :1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I HOPE YOU CAN ENJOY THIS SPECIAL OCCASION AND THAT THESE UPDATES WILL KEEP THE STRESS DOWN! XD

Really?! I had no idea that happens to you! :O

I agree! Poor Naruto! At least he has his plan! J:

Wow! I wonder who usually wins... ;)

Leave it to him indeed! Ü

Actually, I don't believe Kakashi has made an appearance in this fic so far; maybe he'll show up later! Well anyways, I hope Naruto would too! :T

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Naruto was going to get to the bottom of this._

* * *

"WHAT THE _H_*** ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

Naruto had hastily picked up his phone, punching in the appropriate numbers with a force that surprisingly didn't destroy the buttons as they were nearly busted open each time. The boy waited without even a single shred of patience as the device rang, tapping his fingers on the table as he anticipated the individual's response to his call. Immediately after the person's voice finally came through, the infuriated oh so quietly began screaming into the receiver.

_"You don't need to yell, Mr. Uzumaki."_

"YELL?! I HAVEN'T _BEGUN_ TO YELL YET! WHY ARE YOU KICKING ME OUT?!"

_"Calm down, sir. Have you read our new policy yet?"_

"Policy?" The angered hissed. "I haven't heard of it. What is it?" The boy felt a dreadful pit in his stomach deepen, apprehending what he was about to hear.

_"As of today—"_

"TODAY?!" The listener interrupted, fury radiating off his very being. "NO WONDER I DIDN'T KNOW! I WAS AT SCHOOL!"

_"Let me finish." _The landlord huffed. _"As of today, Akatsuki Complexes will be making renovations to improve its overall infrastructure and service. In order to do that, we need to better our appearances by raising the rent so we will have more money to do so."_

Steam was literally smothering the area as the blond's frustration only grew. "HOW MUCH IS IT NOW WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME BEING EVICTED?!"

The youth heard a sigh of annoyance coming from the other end before he spoke again. _"Rent is now $2000 per month—"_

"WHAT THE?!" The flaxen interjected once more. "THAT'S FOUR TIMES THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT! ARE YOU TRYING TO LOSE ALL YOUR BUSINESS?!"

_"You don't need to worry about that." _As if he cared in the first place. _"With our strategic location of being near the entire Konohgakure School District—the most prestigious in all of Hi no Kuni—and being in the center of market street as well as a vast variety of well-desired companies, Akatsuki Complexes is becoming more and more in demand. The price increase should do nothing to ward them off."_

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!" One could swear glass could be heard shattering in the background.

_"Like I said before, we need to improve our infrastructure. That includes those who inhabit this space. We can't have potential customers walking around solely to find filth occupying the space next door." _That was a nice way of putting it. How cold. _"We know your income isn't enough to continue to pay off your rent and that isn't even including your other bills. Totaled together, the cost will be $2500 per month. To save us all the trouble, we decided to give you a notice so you could pack up your possessions."_

"ALL I'M HEARING IS THAT YOU WANT TO GET RID OF ME BECAUSE I'LL MAKE YOU LOOK BAD! THAT'S A MORONIC REASON! IT'S NOT LIKE I'M A SLOB WHOSE APARTMENT COULD RIVAL A ZORILLA AND SKUNK PUT TOGETHER IN STENCH! IT'S JUST BECAUSE I'M POOR, ISN'T IT?! I WORK MY A** OFF JUST TO LIVE BY AND YOU DO THIS TO ME?! HUH?! _HUH?!_"

_"Goodbye Mr. Uzumaki. Have your stuff and your person out of here in two days or else we'll make you leave by force."_ The man then hung up as if he hadn't paid the slightest attention to that explosion, the heartlessness smashing down onto the hapless like a ton of bricks.

The dejected put his phone down, happening to glance at his clock at the same time. Panic tore through his frame as he realized what had occurred. "AH CRAP! I'M LATE!"

* * *

The 3rd of December

"How will I break this to them?"

Lady luck seemed to be emptying all of the grudge she had accumulated over the years on this truly unfortunate boy recently; from being kicked out to being fired, there was nothing positive about his situation. What did he do to deserve this? Had the devil cursed him? Or was God toying with him? What kind of god would allow this?! These were the times that made people question everything, from religious beliefs to the very aspect of life. Only those who were utterly stupid would keep faith after losing this much, he now thought.

"Nothing could be worse than thi—" Upon stepping past the school gates, it seemed as if _everyone_ had stopped what they were doing to stare at him, the glares absolutely unnerving. "Oh yeah. Never mind." The now completely sullen walked on, head hung to avoid catching others' eyes as he trudged towards his locker. "Can this day get any worse?"

"Hey you!" Oh no. God no. Please no. Did he just jinx himself?! The apprehensive slowly turned to the source of the exclamation, his entire body freezing up; a horde of girls surrounded him from all sides, blocking off all possible escape routes. Where were 'responsible' grown-ups when you_ really _needed them?

"What did I do?!" The target held up his hands defensively, cowering in quintessential terror.

The females sneered. "Sasuke-kun won't be able to save you now. Now feel our wrath you ingrate!" What should he do?! He couldn't hit a girl let alone hundreds!

"GRRRRRRRR..." All of them snapped their attention to the origin of the growling, the ladies utterly shocked; a giant dog was snarling at them, ready to bite.

"GET AWAY FROM OUR FRIEND YOU HORMONAL MANGY B****ES OR ELSE I'LL UNLEASH AKAMARU ON YOU!" The canine was straining on his leash, barking boisterously. The damsels ran away shrieking, none willing to be shredded into pieces by a potentially rabid creature.

"What's going on?!" So _that's_ when the teachers care; only when 'innocent' girls are involved. A woman stepped out of her classroom, leering at the five.

"RUN!"

* * *

The Uzumaki breathed a sigh of relief as he faced his comrades. "Thanks Kiba. You saved me."

"Of course." The Inuzuka smirked, glowing with pride.

Chōji shivered. "I can't imagine what they were about to do to you."

"Trample him, claw his eyes out, slap him until he can't even move..." Shikamaru shrugged. "Just naming a few."

"Oh great." The almost victim grumbled, not exactly wanting to hear that. He groaned. "Life sucks."

"Who the _h_*** are you and what did you do to Naruto?!" The brunet grabbed the crestfallen by the front of his shirt, shaking him roughly. "Since when were you _negative?!_ Aren't you always a ball of energy?! What happened to your hyper self?! Why do you look so _depressed?!_"

Uh oh. That was _exactly_ what the blond was trying to avoid. "Uhh...I didn't get enough sleep last night?"

"You're a_ terrible_ liar." The Nara sighed, shaking his head. "Just tell us."

"That's what friends are for, right?" The Akimichi piped. "Don't be shy!"

"Which would be even _more_ unlike you!" The auburn pointed out. "Spit it out already or else I'll get Akamaru to pounce you!" The pooch bent down, prepared to do just that.

"Okay! Okay!" Seriously, you did_ not _want to get that monstrosity to sit on you. How much did he weigh? A thousand pounds? The tawny gestured with his hand, signaling them closer. "Yesterday was h*** on earth for me. After I got home, I was given a notice that I was going to be evicted in forty-eight hours a.k.a. tomorrow. Then when things couldn't get worse, my landlord heartlessly told me that he was kicking me out because since I can't pay the new $2500 per month rent I'm below Akatsuki's 'standards' and that phone call made me late to work so I got fired because of that!" After the flaxen had finished, panting for breath, he glanced at the bunch, surprised at what he saw; uncharacteristic fury shone in the normally docile's eyes as a cold, calculating flame lit in the genius's while uninhibited rage emitted from the feral's and his beast's frames. "Um...guys?"

"THAT B******!" The words echoed down the halls, scaring those nearby off.

Everyone thought the world was going to end as the portly opened his mouth. "I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM!"

"It's alright! I'll figure something out!" The vulpine attempted to pacify them but to no avail; he was simply ignored.

"I wonder what's the best way to commit murder without having it traced back..." The lackadaisical pondered, the ominous aura creeping them out.

"Here I thought you were clever. It's not smart to discuss killing someone where others could possibly hear you."

"Teme..." The group looked up as Sasuke sauntered over to them, hands in his pockets.

The raven quirked a brow as he eyed the quadruped. "What's that mutt doing here? Aren't we at school?" The mentioned bared his teeth at that remark.

"You jerk!" The owner glowered. "Akamaru's a Great Pyrenees, not some 'mutt' and for your information, my Animal Science class allows me to bring him here! I was just about to drop him off in fact!"

"Whatever." The Uchiha shrugged, irking the brunet. However, before he could act, the sable approached the Uzumaki, stopping before him. "What's up with you, Usuratonkachi?" Only silence met him. "Why aren't you your usual idiotic self? Why are you being so _quiet_?" Still nothing was said in response. The stoic made to grasp him only to be held back.

"Leave him alone." Shikamaru stated. "As you can probably see, Naruto isn't in the mood for your 'I'm better than you' attitude."

Chōji nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing. "Terrible things have been happening to him and he needs some space."

"You mean those annoying fangirls who aim to kill him?" The other sighed. "Why should he be upset about that? It's not as if they actually did anything yet."

"That's because they're _obsessed_ with you!" Kiba screamed. "I haven't seen _nearly_ as many mindless b****es as there have been since you transfered!"

"But that's not what this is about." The Nara interrupted. "It's something much worse. You couldn't possibly understand what Naruto is going through."

"Try me." The addressed challenged.

The hazel was_ seething_ by now. "Humph! We don't need to tell a b****** like you! Besides, you'll just mock Naruto and not help him at all!" He glimpsed at his companions. "Come on, let's get to class."

"Wait." The tetrad paused in their tracks. The Uzumaki glanced at them. "Go on without me. I'll talk to Sasuke myself."

The genius appeared uncertain. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah." The queried nodded. "I'll be fine."

After a few moments of hesitation, the chubby shrugged. "Okay." They then made to walk away.

The auburn turned back. "If I find out you hurt him, there will be _h_*** to pay!" The four then vanished, leaving the two alone.

The blond quirked a brow. "Why do you even want to know?"

"Does it matter?" _Of course _he would say that.

"Yes; this is _personal_ after all." The speaker crossed his arms. "Do you _still_ want to know?"

The raven wore an emotionless mask. "Hn. What do you think?"

"Fine." The tanned sighed. "I'll tell you on one condition."

"What dobe?" The insulter inquired.

"Tell me why you are so afraid of your own father."

* * *

Translation: Hi no Kuni=Land of Fire

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	4. Chapter 4

Hello readers! I would like to thank **narutoluverr1999** for reviewing the previous chapter plus favoriting and following as well as **Jazz** for commenting on it in addition to **Jazmaakakun**, **Rei20021** along with **kOcchi zenrei** for following not forgetting **ArcaneRaven** &amp; **AngeGirlmon** for favoriting including following prior to **randomidea** for favoriting after **thetextmaser** for following Maybe, Just Maybe... post **Scrittorebee** trailed by **candybear34** for favoriting Not As Simple As It Sounds with **DSW2496** communicating about it anterior to **jamacula** for following Love Will Never Die behindhand **Bluejay Blaze** for favoriting Bijuu and You remembering **Anime-Gal311** for favoriting Until It's Too Late respiting **Ijustdon'tcare132** for favoriting—just like **LikeAFan737**—later following My Greatest Regret going into **nasyitah. ali. 7** followed by **memo ouji-sama** for critiquing Always and Forever Yours, **randomidea** for favoriting Of Thirty-One Days tailed by **animeroxz** for praising not sans favoriting Jealous? I Think Not...! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **narutoluverr1999**! Here it is! (:

It's fine **Jazz**! I'm glad you were able to celebrate your birthday for that long with that many people! I hope you have been enjoying your week thus far! n_n

Yeah, poor Naruto...At least he isn't _COMPLETELY_ doomed! :T

I'm looking forward to that too! :3

Here it is! ;)

It's fine! At least you reviewed Shinobi no Pokémon! J:

Yep... *nods in agreement*

Sadly, I've only played Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded. I played and beat all of them at their highest difficulties. I _REALLY_ wish I could have played Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep though; I would have played all three characters at Critical. Same with Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance and _ALL_ the Final Mixes. *sighs*

The thing is, my birthday is actually sometime in May, not on June 8th. I just decided to update my profile—including my age—on that day. Thanks anyways! I feel _REALLY_ special! I _REALLY_ APPRECIATE THAT YOU BOTHERED! ^o^

It's fine! I hope you enjoyed your vacation! :I

By the way, what do you think of Naruto Gaiden so far?

Okay **nasyitah. ali. 7**, let me give _YOU_ some advice:

1\. Double negatives cancel out. In other words, 'Few of your Japanese words are wrongly used' _ACTUALLY_ translates to 'Most of your Japanese words are _correctly_ used'. Based on the rest of the content of your critique, I can assume you meant the _DIRECT_ opposite of what you had stated. Pay more attention to word usage.

2\. Start your sentences with nouns. If you don't, then you basically just write a fragment. 'Should research how to properly use them before putting it in the English language story' doesn't make much sense. Also, what happened to 'them'? Since when did the pronoun become _SINGULAR_?! That's what 'it' is after all: a singular pronoun.

3\. Writing 6K is already _WAY_ too much to handle _ESPECIALLY_ with a horrendous course load like mine. I'm _SORRY_ for being improper. Would you care about details like that if _YOU_ were functioning on high levels of stress and little sleep? Congratulations if _YOU_ can, but _I_ can't.

Did you even have anything to say about my actual story other than my incorrect usage of the Japanese language? At least I _TRIED_ and put translations on the bottom unlike what most authors who use rōmaji do. If you have nothing to say about the actual plot, then just ignore my 'blunder'. It's not as if I'm the _ONLY_ one who has errors in his/her stories; at least I try to have as few errors in the _ENGLISH_ language as possible. Yes, I know my style is _CONFUSING_, but I try my hardest to make sure it is typo-free. Before criticizing someone's work, think a little more. Make sure _YOU_ have nothing I can say about _YOU_ first.

By the way, the reason I spaced your username was to avoid censoring so you can't use that against me.

Thanks **animeroxz**! I _REALLY_ appreciate the praise! Reading that made me feel _SO_ much better! I'M SO FLATTERED! XD

Aww, thanks **DSW2496**! I appreciate those kind words! I'm sorry for confusing you; my style is that. However, I'm glad you still like it! Ü

I know! I _HATE_ it when people give me a hard time! Above is simply proof! At least there are kind readers like you to cheer me up! (:

If you read this, then you have your answer! ;)

Well **memo ouji-sama**, I don't think that's possible since that's my style and I don't plan on rewriting Not As Simple As It Sounds. I'm glad you still like it though! C:

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Tell me why you are so afraid of your own father."_

One could _swear_ Sasuke froze up upon hearing those words. After a few moments of heavy silence, the Uchiha glared heatedly at Naruto, staring him down. "What makes you think that?"

"I saw how you reacted towards the news of your father returning home and remember how you responded to me when I asked about him. I think this is a fair trade: personal information for personal information." The blond demanded, crossing his arms.

The raven tched. "Why do you need to know?"

"Why do _you_ need to know?" The Uzumaki challenged, mirroring his stance. "Personal information for personal information; it's your call."

The sable humphed, glancing at the other with contempt. "We're not the same; therefore, the magnitude of what we are supposedly going to exchange won't be either." He turned to walk away, taking a few steps towards the direction of his destination.

"Try me." The mimicking of his own words caught onto him, causing him to turn back. "I'll tell you first then."

"Idiot." The stoic shook his head, making to leave once more when...

"I never had parents."

...the next words paused him in his tracks.

Gaining confidence, the speaker continued. "My mom and dad died shortly after I was born. I have no idea how but all I know is that I was the only one who survived and I got sent to an orphanage. Ever since I could remember, I had been sent from foster home to foster home until just last year; I had enough and simply started living on my own, paying rent and utilities by myself while working to pay the bills and going to school all at the same time...but not anymore." Bangs shaded his eyes. "Yesterday, I received a notice of eviction because my landlord basically wants to get rid of me since I am 'scum' to him. To make things worse, that phone call caused me to be late to work, getting me fired." He chuckled darkly. "Horrible luck, huh?"

No response met him. The confessor looked up. "Teme? Teme?!"

Only to find that he was all alone.

The 4th of December

"THAT _B_******!"

The day before had been...depressing to say the least. Let's just say giving a heartfelt speech filled with one's innermost secrets only to be abandoned can do that. Naruto had been uncharacteristically bitter, raising a _huge _amount of concern from each of his buddies. However, upon confrontation, the blond would give up _nothing_, even being sat on by the behemoth of a dog having no effect. The three were beginning to wonder if their moron had been replaced by an identical alien. Just as school had ended, the indosyncratic practically stomped out, perplexing all who saw him; no one would have believed it if they hadn't witnessed the spectacle at hand.

Unfortunately, the time spent at 'home' was _way_ worse; he had to spend every moment packing up what few possessions he actually owned, fearful of his landlord spontaneously appearing and evicting him early. The poor boy couldn't sleep at all, tossing and turning relentlessly.

What a depressing day indeed.

Upon entering Konohagakure Academy, he was immediately approached by his friends, unable to be left alone. The pooch made sure of that.

"Does your unusual mood have something to do with Sasuke?" Shikamaru questioned, crossing his arms; he already knew the answer.

One could _swear_ fire combusted from all around Kiba. "I KNEW IT! I _KNEW_ THAT SON OF A B**** WOULD DO SOMETHING! WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED!" A feral glint shone in his eyes. "Let me at him; Akamaru would be _more_ than happy to tear apart a new chew toy. Right boy?" The canine barked in response, tail wagging in anticipation.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." The Nara sighed before turning toward the Uzumaki. "What did Uchiha even do? Don't say it's nothing; after all, you wouldn't be acting like this."

"True." Chōji nodded in agreement.

"I don't want to talk about it." A low growl was directed at the sullen, causing him to freeze up. Three sets of glares followed immediately afterwards, burning holes into him. The interrogated sighed. "Fine, fine." He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath before continuing. "After you guys left, I asked him why he seemed to be afraid of his own father; being the seemingly emotionless b****** he is, it was more than a little disconcerting. Personal information for personal information, you know?" He paused for a moment to gauge the others' reactions; the eagerness hadn't faded one bit, so he begrudgingly commenced. "He wouldn't tell me anything because he thought I wouldn't understand."

"Therefore you told him about your past to show him that you could relate yet he decided to be a complete jerk by walking out." Shikamaru rose a brow. "Am I right?"

The asked let out a breathy chuckle. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" He smiled sadly. "That's basically it. Are you happy now?" Their expressions were anything _but_ happy; pure, unadulterated _fury _rolled off of them in intense waves. Especially from_ Chōji_, the nice one. All in all, it was a _terrifying_ sight. Shivers crept down the blond's spine.

"Why did you even do that?" The uncharacteristic calm in the auburn's tone unsettled Naruto. "What's so special about that prick THAT YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?! HUH?! _HUH?!_" Uh oh. "ARE YOU SO BRAIN-DEAD THAT YOU CAN'T SEE THE OBVIOUS?!" THAT GUY IS—" The pooch leapt onto his master, having sensed the flaxen's distraught demeanor. He nuzzled against the Inuzuka, managing to calm him down. The dog got off of him as he stood up, having collected himself. "Sorry for saying that." He appeared truly apologetic. "It's just that I'm _worried_ about you man!"

"We all are." The chubby agreed. "You don't deserve that cold treatment especially after you poured your heart out to him!"

"Mendokusē." The sloth sighed, crossing his arms. "Why did you even bother? You should have known by then that Sasuke is a total ice prince and is obviously not chatty, so why?"

The Uzumaki groaned in absolute frustration. "Can't you guys leave me alone now?!" The looks he got answered his enquiry instantly. No duh. He huffed loudly. "Fine, do you _really_ want to know?!" What an obvious question. "Oh fine!"

"Any day now."

"Shut up Kiba!" The tawny snarled, leering at the offender before clearing his throat. "I don't want him to be alone." The bout of laughter he was meet with by a certain brunet was immediately silenced by a harsh glare. "Anyways, before I was so _rudely_ interrupted," the addressed gulped, "I can tell there is more than what meets the eye with Sasuke. He's...different, like me. We might not be the same, but I feel we have something in common, you know?"

"Like your pasts?" The Nara prompted.

"Exactly! Our pasts!" The speaker suddenly became serious. "That's why I want to know more about him. In that way, he could be happier and less of a jerk like he is now. No one wants to be like that naturally after all."

"You're _way_ too nice." The russet shook his head, resigned. "But that's just you."

The genius shrugged. "He's not even at school today. How will you find out?"

Naruto beamed, his smile rivaling the sun. "I'll go over to his house!"

* * *

Translation: Mendokusē=How troublesome

I apologize for the short amount of actual content in this chapter, but I just recently finished finals and they were _KILLING_ me! Plus with all the projects in _ALL _of my classes as well as murderous AP Exams along with reviewing _EXTENSIVELY_ for them, I just couldn't find the time to write hence me taking about three months to update this. Sorry about that! ^^'

The rude comments were not helping either. -_-

At least there are kind readers out there! That's why I haven't given up yet! Thank you! (:

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	5. Chapter 5

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice plus **TsubakiUzumaki** for following this and favoriting Always and Forever Yours—along with **kittylove12** not forgetting **randomidea** in that regard—in addition to **Akirakun17** for favoriting leading to **Samiam2468** for commenting on chapter three of Not As Simple As It Sounds later favoriting amassing following Love Will Never Die lastly **mercurialcherrybomb** for following the former sans leaving out **kittylove12** for favoriting Maybe, Just Maybe...! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

I would be too, **Jazz**. We'll see if Sasuke listened or not shortly... /:

That's _SO_ true! :D

Maybe... ;)

Wow! (:

Really?! Lucky! I wish the Final Mixes were more readily available in the US! ):

I guess despite the prequel's _TERRIBLE_ ending, the sequel was...adequate. There were some funny parts like the ones you had mentioned. However, I wish the ending wasn't so rushed and that Sarada confronted Sasuke about him and Karin; I would have liked to see how he would have explained it to her. I also wanted Suigetsu to clear up the confusion and apologize although I'm not sure how he could screw up a DNA test like that; shouldn't the names of the people be with their DNA? If not, then _WOW_. Suigetsu messed up _BIG TIME_. The rest was okay though.

By the way, did you read all of Gaiden? If not, then I'm sorry for spoiling some of it in my comment above. If so, what are your thoughts on the final chapter?

Oh yeah, and Chōji's daughter's name is Chōchō Akimichi. Just letting you know.

Thanks for the warning! You're definitely the _ONLY_ Jazz I'll trust! ^o^

Hmm...do you like Yu-Gi-Oh? There's a game called Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Tag Force Special that's available for the PSP. There's an English patch that you can download from xenotranslations .com. That's all I can think of.

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

Sweet indeed **Samiam2468**! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Naruto beamed, his smile rivaling the sun. "I'll go over to his house!"_

"..."

Upon realizing the silence that had ensued, the Uzumaki's grin faded. "Uh...guys? GUYS?!" The three appeared shell-shocked, unable to speak.

Kiba was the first to snap out of it. "ARE YOU _CRAZY_?!"

"You probably shouldn't answer that." Shikamaru sighed, addressing the blond. "I agree though. Mendokusē."

Chōji was the last to unfreeze. "Don't do it! It's not worth the effort!"

"Yeah! Why go through all that for some ungrateful _jerk_?!" The Inuzuka screamed, grabbing the flaxen's shoulders.

He huffed, breaking from the hold. "If I don't look out for him, who will?"

"How troublesome yet there's no stopping you, is there? You run on your heart, not your brain after all." The Nara shook his head, crossing his arms. "Go."

"WHAT?!" The other two were ignored.

The tawny seemed a bit stunned. "You're not objecting anymore?"

"What would be the point?" The genius countered. "Once you start something, there's no stopping you. Just don't be surprised with the results."

"You mean that b****** cruelly _rejecting_ him, like earlier." The brunet snarled. "You'll be sorry for even trying to break through to that ice prince!"

The resolute stood firm, unwavering in his decision. "I won't."

"Good luck then." The Akimichi's statement astonished the russet. The portly shrugged. "Shikamaru's right; it would be pointless to change his mind. In that case, we should just support him instead."

The auburn scowled before reluctantly nodding. "Fine. Just don't come crying to us if you fail."

"Alright then!" The boy cheered as he turned, going to class with the rest of his friends.

* * *

"How will you even get there?"

The school day had finally ended with the ringing of the final bell. Students flooded the hallways, all rushing to get out.

Naruto shook his head. "I know where it is, dog breath. It's not even far from here."

"How do you know that you'll even be welcomed?" The lackadaisical pointed out. "Most likely, you'll be kicked out right on the spot."

The Uzumaki crossed his arms indignantly. "I won't. His brother will probably let me in; he's a really nice guy after all."

"I hope so." The four paused at the gates of the Academy. The chubby cleared his throat as he stood before his companion. "You have enough on your plate."

"The deadline for your eviction is tomorrow, isn't it?" The nod the prodigy received answered his question. He grunted. "If you need a place to stay, you can crash at my house until you find a new home. My parents won't mind."

"Same here!"

"Don't forget that we're looking out for you." Kiba reassured as he grasped the blond's shoulder before giving a rough push. "Now go to that prick's house already!"

"And if he does something to you..." The dark expression the usually lazy person wore sent chills down the flaxen's spine.

"Good luck!" Chōji flashed a thumbs-up.

The tawny returned the jesture before waving the three off, heading towards his destination.

* * *

"Long time no see, Naruto-kun."

The boy had been right; upon reaching the mansion gates, he had been confronted by the security guards and interrogated. Just as it seemed that they were about to boot him out, Itachi appeared out of seemingly nowhere, placating the pair who returned to their stations as the elder escorted the visitor into the building.

"Thanks for saving me back there, Itachi-san." The rescued was truly grateful. "I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't intervened."

The senior chuckled at that statement. "Who knows?" He smiled. "By the way, 'Itachi' is just fine."

"Okay Itachi." He suddenly became serious. "Umm...I came here because—"

"You want to speak with my little brother about what happened between you two yesterday, am I right?"

The inquired was absolutely stunned. "How did you know?!"

"Sasuke has been acting even more brooding than usual since yesterday; that's _really_ saying something and since you came here, I figured that you went here to explain yourself, no?" The man quirked a brow.

The younger sighed. "You're right." His head shot up in realization. "Is _that _why he didn't come to school today?!"

"Correct." The replier nodded before frowning. "What occurred between you both that made him like this?"

Golden bangs shaded the azure orbs. "Sasuke wanted to know what was going on with me since I wasn't acting like my usual self yesterday. Since the reason is personal, I told him that I would only speak about it if he tells me why he seems to fear his father. Personal information for personal information, you know?" The look he received urged him to continue. "I want to know him better and understand what's going on; I'm concerned." His features became melancholic. "I told him about my past in an attempt to get him to open up but he just...walked out on me." The explainer glimpsed up to see that the listener wore a solemn expression.

"Orokana otouto..." He sighed before making complete eye contact with the other. "What did you tell him if you don't mind?"

"It's fine." The blond assured. He disclosed what he had revealed to his peer, watching as the adult's face dropped a little.

"To think you lived a life like that." He shook his head, sympathizing with the teen. He glanced at the youth. "Did what happen yesterday relate to what you just told me?" The flaxen froze up upon hearing those words. The older smiled sadly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"That's okay." The Uzumaki struggled to take a breath before he continued. "Two days ago, my landlord decided to kick me out because I'm 'scum' to him. To ensure that, he rose the bills through the roof and placed an eviction order which will be effective tomorrow. On top of that, that phone call made me late to work and got me fired. I had to spend the night packing up what I have and I couldn't sleep at all." He gazed up at the Itachi whose visage suddenly became unreadable.

"What's the name of your landlord?" Why was he getting a bad feeling about this?

"Pein Nagato, why?" An unknown light flashed in the black hues, scaring him.

"Nothing..." Why does it feel like Naruto shouldn't believe him? However, the man commenced before he could ponder on it any longer. "You should go talk to Sasuke now. I'll lead you to him—"

"That won't be necessary." The mentioned spontaneously appeared at the top of the staircase, looking down on both of them. He went to address the visitor. "Was it necessary to intrude into my house, dobe?"

The insulted made to retort only to be interrupted. "I invited him here, little brother. I had a conversation with him just earlier and I understand the reason he came here."

"How do you know he's even telling the truth?"

The accused became indignant at that. "Teme! Why in the world would I lie to you and your brother?! What type of person do you think I am—"

"I trust him." The statement shocked them both. The eldest continued. "As you know Sasuke, I'm an excellent judge of character and I can sense that Naruto-kun is a good person. Besides, I can detect lies immediately or did you forget that, orokana otouto?"

The belittled scowled. "Hn." He then turned to glare at the other. "Fine then. Come with me, usuratonkachi. We'll talk in private."

"I'm here to help you. Don't push him too far." Those cryptic words were whispered into the adolescent's ear as he joined his peer, following the raven.

"Don't mess with anything." The room the two entered was grand; midnight blue drapes framed large windows embedded in teal walls within a huge space. However, the location seemed a little...cold; hardly any furniture adorned the place sparing a neatly organized desk, a few chairs, a huge rug on top of an azure plush carpet, and a giant bed complete with a canopy. Aside from the expensive materials, there were no objects that made the chamber seem...inhabited.

The pair sat on the mattress—the sable first of course—before he turned towards the flaxen, face neutral. "I overheard your entire conversation with nii-san."

The tanned appeared a bit stunned. "Why didn't you show yourself earlier then?!"

"I was observing you and your motives." The queried grunted. He narrowed his orbs. "Why are you even interested in me?" He scoffed. "It must be due to my family's company, right?" He smirked in a demeaning fashion. "Gold diggers are everywhere nowadays, huh?"

"TEME! HOW COULD YOU THINK THAT?!" The offended exploded at the onyx, fury overtaking him. "I'M ACTUALLY _CONCERNED_ ABOUT YOU! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?!"

The Uchiha remained unfazed. "How do I know that you didn't lie to Itachi earlier? He might be able to find out if you're lying or not, but it's not impossible to evade his radar."

It's a wonder how the infuriated didn't combust at that moment. "YOU NEED PROOF?! HERE!"

The tactless's eyes widened as he examined the piece of paper; it was the eviction notice. "...This is real."

"AND IF YOU WANT EVEN MORE PROOF, YOU CAN DRIVE TO MY APARTMENT AND SEE HOW EMPTY IT IS FOR YOURSELF!" The mad anger had yet to subside.

"I guess you weren't lying after all."

"YEAH I WASN'T!" It only seemed to flare after that last remark. "GOD, MY FRIENDS WERE RIGHT! YOU'RE SUCH A _JERK_! WHY DID I EVEN BOTHER WITH YOU?!"

"What do you even know about me?" The whispered question was barely audible, yet was able to snap the furious out of his rage. "What gives you the right to judge me even though we only met a few days ago?! What gives you that right?!" It was the raven's turn to be enraged, leering fiercely at the cause.

The hostility returned in full force. "WHAT GIVES _ME _THE RIGHT?! WHAT GIVES _YOU_ THE RIGHT?! YOU WERE ACCUSING ME OF BEING A LAIR AND A GOLD DIGGER ALTHOUGH YOU BARELY KNOW ME! YOU HYPOCRITE!" He bolted off the bed, having had enough. "YOU KNOW WHAT?! I'M LEAVING!"

"Wait." That single word froze Naruto in place. Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry and I was wrong." He raked a hand through his hair. "Fine, if nii-san trusts you, then you can't be _too_ bad."

The Uzumaki went back, returning to his place. "Will you _finally_ tell me now?!"

"Hn." The Uchiha hesitated for a few moments before continuing. "I reason I fear my father...is because he's abusive."

* * *

Translation: Mendokusē=How troublesome, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, nii-san=older brother

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	6. Chapter 6

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Guest** for commenting on Jealous? I Think Not..., the first chapter of Love Will Never Die, Maybe, Just Maybe..., and the 22nd of Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

It's fine **Jazz**! (:

No, just Castelia. That would take too long, unfortunately. Plus it would be _WAY_ too much work to do _ALL_ of them! ):

Indeed! DX

AWW MAN! SAME HERE! ToT

Oh wow! :O

I'm glad I didn't! By the way, do you plan on reading Naruto Gaiden? o.O

Go on! I believe in you! :D

We'll see! I hope so! ^_^

How many Yu-Gi-Oh! series do you know about? All five or just a few? "?

Or else what?! O_O

You were right indeed! C:

Yep! Haha! :3

Hmm...in this story, Itachi and Nagato do not know each other. _HOWEVER_, Itachi _MIGHT_ be paying him a visit some time soon! :I

We'll see this chapter... /:

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your other review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

Could you please look at the most recent review for Not As Simple As It Sounds? Could you tell me what you think of it? Please don't drop me because of the content. Please don't criticize me too. Thank you.

You're right **Guest**; jealous Sasuke is a _MUCH_ better Sasuke! Thanks for reviewing! :D

Yes, I had to kill Naruto for the sake of the plot; I didn't like it either. ):

Thanks for your compliments! I really appreciate them! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Hn." The Uchiha hesitated for a few moments before continuing. "I reason I fear my father...is because he's abusive."_

Naruto was taken aback. "No way..."

"Tch. What an expected response." Sasuke scoffed. "That's one of the reasons I don't bother telling people."

The Uzumaki became angry at that. "Teme! I was showing _genuine_ concern! Can't you see that?!"

"Didn't you say you wanted to leave earlier?" The raven directed a demeaning smirk toward the listener.

The blond glared. "You were acting like a hypocritical jerk and that set me off." The other had no response to that. "Besides, I didn't mean it and would have regretted it immediately." He then made eye contact with his peer. "...What does he do?"

A long moment of silence which seemed to stretch on forever ensued. Just as the flaxen thought he wouldn't respond, he spoke. "He doesn't abuse us physically but he...oppresses us to the extremes. Chichi-ue expects us to act in a certain manner and literally will except nothing else; he times us on everything we do—from eating to bathing to even how long we sleep—and screams like there is no tomorrow if we are even a second late. He then tells how we are the failures of the worst kind and that we would severely disappoint our mother for not being the 'perfect citizens'. He thinks we will doom the company with our continued 'horrendous' behavior."

"That's horrible!" The observer exclaimed. "Why haven't you reported him yet?!"

The sable humphed. "Like anyone would believe us; after all, Fugaku Uchiha is the head of one of the most prestigious business in the world. He has enough money to buy silence from anyone."

"Not me!" The tanned declared. "Let me tell the police!"

He scoffed. "Like they'll believe you; not only is 'the system' irrevocably corrupt with cops who care more about charging tickets to make money than patrolling to ensure the safety of their jurisdictions and politicians who pay lip service but don't do a thing to change the country, my father could just bribe them to keep their mouths shut. It isn't that hard." His smile bordered on being mad. "That's how twisted our 'authority' is."

"That's not true; not all cops or politicians are like that!" The tawny objected. "Not everyone's the same!"

The onyx shrugged. "Like that matters anyways." He crossed his arms. "The main reason I won't attempt to turn him in is because I have a duty to fulfill; as a member of this family, I have to uphold my responsibilities and if that means taking the abuse, then I must endure and accept it."

"But you'll collapse because of all that stress!" Naruto screamed.

Sasuke's composure suddenly broke. "You think I can just run away from my family?! Run away from my duties?! Father's commands are absolute so I must follow them! I can't go against his word!"

"Your mother wouldn't want that!" The thick silence that had followed made the Uzumaki tense. "Umm teme...where _is_ your mother? I haven't seen her yet; has she been gone from the house every time I came here?"

The ired glowered. "I thought you were told what happened the _first_ day you were here."

"I'm sorry!" The oblivious exclaimed before his expression became one of utmost shame. "I can't believe I forgot something as important as this...but given the past few days, I couldn't think of anything else other than being kicked out. I just can't remember now." He laughed at himself in a degrading manner. "I'm horrible, aren't I?"

"..." Ebon bangs shaded obsidian hues. "More like out of our lives, idiot."

"What do you mean by that?" The blond snapped out of his self-loathing, having realized that his acquaintance had let his lapse in memory slide yet dreaded what he was going to hear for a second time.

A dark grin crossed the raven's lips, sending a chill down the other's spine. "Seven years ago, Haha-ue was stricken with a mysterious disease and...died. There was no hope since it was incurable so we had to watch as she withered away before us. That drove father crazy and made him as he is now; obsessed with work and keeping us 'in line'."

"No way..." He was struck speechless. "I can't believe that this had slipped my mind for even a moment! How horrible!"

The Uchiha smirked. "Now do you see why I am the way I am?" The adressed was silent. The raven became impatient. "Well?!"

"...I won't accept this. I won't. I just can't!" Sasuke was caught off-guard by him. "That's unacceptable! What your dad does to you is simply unacceptable! Even if he's still grieving, that doesn't mean you aren't suffering as well! Being oppressed only makes things worse!" He growled. "No one is perfect and should be expected to be! Both you and your bother should live your own lives!" He glanced at the floor. "Believe me; this is coming from someone who never had loving parents and went from foster home to foster home before having enough. I might not know how it feels like to be abused by my father, but I know how it feels like to be treated like crap. That's one of the things I know best. No one deserves that."

"Well said, Naruto-kun." The door to the room suddenly opened, revealing Itachi as he walked in. "I'm glad you came to talk to my little brother; you don't know how hard it is to get him to open up."

"Nii-san..." The younger whispered. He then scoffed. "I only told him all that because he was getting annoying."

Anger flared up in the insulted's eyes. "Teme—"

"Lies, lies. Orokana otouto..." The eldest held a hand up, immediately silencing the visitor. He gazed at his sibling before commencing. "I know you well; if you were truly annoyed, then you would have kicked him out yet you didn't." He shrugged before facing the guest. "Who knows; maybe my little brother has taken a liking to you."

The mentioned snapped up. "Nii-san! How absurd can you get?!" The flaming red tinting his cheeks belied that notion, however.

"See?" The adult chuckled.

The asked giggled. "I've _never_ seen Sasuke like this..."

"And you'll _never_ see it again!"

The arrival laughed heartily. "Sure."

"You know," the flaxen began, "I bet your company will be in great hands; it has incredible people to run it after all!"

The major grinned. "Oh? That's nice to hear."

"What are you even doing here?" The stoic frowned. "You _know_ that barging into my room is off-limits."

Itachi sighed. "Same as ever." He cleared his throat. "We're going on a little trip."

The tawny was dumbfounded. "Huh?! 'We'?!"

"Excuse me?" The junior wanted to make sure he had heard correctly. Unfortunately, he did.

The man shook his head. "That's what I meant: the three of us."

"No."

The eldest quirked a brow. "Oh? Why are you both objecting?"

"We can't just leave unannounced." The younger stated. "Besides, father wouldn't take our leaving so well. You know that as much as I do."

It was the other's turn to speak. "Umm...I haven't known either if you for long so to be going on an outing between you brothers...I feel like I'm intruding and out of place."

"Nonsense." The suggester waved it off. "Like I said before, I trust you." He turned to his kin. "By the way, I managed to get approval from Tou-san under the pretense that we are visiting branches from all over the world. He won't be able to go with us since he has to manage the business here. Don't worry; I'll take care of everything so he doesn't suspect and I have saved up enough to cover anything and everything we'll need. You know that I'm capable of at least that much." Being met with no objections, he went back to the other. "Naruto-kun, I remember what you told me on your situation; I know that you don't have many options. If you could live with a friend, what haven't you already done that?"

He couldn't meet the inquirer's eyes. "I don't want to burden them. Besides, their parents don't like me for some reason."

"I see." The speaker nodded in a sagely manner. "With you being evicted and lacking a job, you won't have anywhere to go. Especially since it's winter, this definitely isn't ideal." He gave a genuine smile. "You won't be causing us any trouble."

"Why would we need to do that?" Sasuke questioned. "Couldn't we just help him find a new place and recommend him to someone for work?"

"Yeah?" The discussed agreed.

The queried smirked. "See? You care, otouto; it if was anybody else, you would just brush them off." He stared at the blond. "That's why; before he met you, he could have cared less about anyone. Him bothering to insult you and sulking because of you is proof that he cares; he would act completely emotionless otherwise." He then gazed at the obstinate. "Isn't that right?"

"..."

"That's what I thought." The oldest stated, smug. He returned to the Uzumaki. "So what do you say?"

The boy beamed. "Why not?"

"Good." The man smiled before going back to the second. "And you?"

He sighed. "It doesn't matter what I say, right? No matter what, the dobe is comming with us, isn't he?"

"Yes." Itachi affirmed. He then made to leave the room. "Then it's all set."

* * *

The 5th of December

"So let me get this straight; you're going with people who may as well be strangers on a trip to god knows where until the end of this month, am I right?"

As soon as Naruto stepped foot past the gates of Konohagakure Academy, he was immediately confronted by a certain group. He was completely surrounded, the dog making sure he couldn't escape. Resigning to his fate, the Uzumaki told his friends all about the encounter he had the other day. Let's just say...they were _more_ than a little surprised with what they heard.

"That's just about it, Shikamaru." The blond responded. He spontaneously groaned. "Kiba, why are you looking at me that way?"

The Inuzuka was snarling as if he was a beast. "YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!" He tackled his target, nearly knocking both over. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?! YOU SHOULD COME TO _US_ FOR HELP, NOT THAT JERK!"

"I agree." Chōji crossed his arms, nodding.

The accused huffed. "His brother was the one to offer it to me; I didn't ask for them to take me in."

"Didn't I say that if you needed a place to stay, you could crash at mine?" The Nara crossed his arms.

The brunet glared, growling. "YEAH!"

"You won't be a hassle!" The Akimichi reassured.

The Uzumaki became melancholic. "I know you guys won't care...it's your parents." He addressed them all. "You said that they wouldn't mind taking me in, all of you." The blond smiled sadly. "But let's face it; they think I'm a monster for some reason. You all know that; don't deny it." The three were unable to, remaining in silence.

The bell suddenly rang, signaling the nearing of the first period. The five began walking towards the school. Naruto sighed. "You guys can go with me to see Sasuke so you all will know what's going on."

* * *

Translation: Chichi-ue=Father, Haha-ue=Mother, Nii-san=Older brother, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Tou-san=Father (another way to say it), Mendokusē=How troublesome

Okay **Jazz**, it's time to come up with requests! I didn't forget; I just had to get the story to that point! Give me which fandoms you want them to cross over into and I'll see what I can do! If they goes past what I am comfortable with, then I'll have to reject them but if they are fine, then I'll accept! Just don't make the plots _TOO_ complicated because I'll have _SO_ many to do and each can last only _ONE _chapter! List up to ten at first so I can get started! (:

By the way, only **Jazz** can make requests; this is _HER_ gift after all. I'll ignore all others. Sorry about that.

One more thing; _PLEASE _don't make me use the actual dialouge if you want me to watch clips! It takes _WAY_ too much time to write down what I hear and transfer it. Believe me, 40+ chapters—including one-shots _ESPECIALLY_ Kingdom Hearts: Keys in the Heart of the Monster _AND _Into the Darkness of the World—of doing that _REALLY _wore me out! It takes _HOURS_ to complete the process for even the shortest of clips and the long ones...let's just say I lose _A LOT_ of sleep and free time; that was basically how almost all of the second semester of sophomore year and last year's summer vacation was like for me. It's _REALLY_ surprising how I could update The Merging of Realms _SO _often, but I can no longer do that since I'm going to be a senior and I'm not willing _AT ALL_ to spend _ALL_ of my summer vacation doing research _AGAIN_. Thanks for reading this and I hope you understand.

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus **BlazingSun01** for favoriting Bijuu and You! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Yeah...it's a good thing that Naruto did that to Sasuke indeed, **Jazz**! :D

I agree with you on Itachi! J:

Aww, thanks for those compliments! It's _DEFINITELY_ intriguing! ^_^

Thanks for pointing that out to me! :3

You sure are! C:

That's true! Ü

Oh wow! :O

Yep... -_-

I'm glad you aren't like that _'LOVELY' _reviewer. I _DEFINITELY_ won't treat you that way! (:

I'll try my best to fit them into this story! By the way, do you want a separate chapter per day, making this story at least thirty-two chapters since chapters four and five were just the 4th of December? To be honest, that would be a bit difficult since you only gave me four fandoms _AND_ my school schedule will be _EVEN WORSE_ than last year. Just tell me what you want me to do and I'll try my best! n_n

I hope you check them out _ESPECIALLY_ 5D's and ARC-V! They are my _ABSOLUTE_ favorites! XD

Sure is! :P

Thanks for waiting! :3

Yeah, I'll try. /:

I'm glad you gave me advice and didn't bash me! ^_^

By the way, do you want anthropoidal animals such as Donald and Goofy to appear? Also, since there will be Pokémon, do you want them to keep their powers? I need to know these things before getting started!

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

By the way, what do you think of the battle in the latest chapter of that? I would like to know! :D

Guess what today is? July 23rd means it's Sasuke's birthday! To celebrate, I decided to update! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The bell suddenly rang, signaling the nearing of the first period. The five began walking towards the school. Naruto sighed. "You guys can go with me to see Sasuke so you all will know what's going on."_

* * *

"Explain yourselves."

Upon stepping foot into the classroom, the Uzumaki had been called upon by the teacher. Fearing the worst, the boy practically dragged himself to the front only for his apprehension to increase indefinitely; the principle had requested him. The trio tried their best to reassure and calm him down but to no avail. Unable to delay the inevitable any longer, the blond made his way to the office, his head down the whole time. Could this day get any _worse_?

As he entered, he spotted a certain someone who appeared laid back and not panicking unlike him. The raven scoffed. "What?" A throat was cleared, turning their attention to an elderly woman who carried an azure jewel on her forehead below blond locks tied at the ends and below hazel eyes over a decorative necklace that hung near a grey kimono covered by a green yukata and sable pants. "Tsunade Senju-sama." The sable bowed.

The other did no such thing. "Baa-chan, what am I doing here? I _swear_ I didn't do anything to get me into trouble this time!"

"I told you to stop calling me that gaki!" The elder shouted, a tick mark angrily pulsing on her temple. She then sighed, regaining her composure. "No, you aren't in trouble and neither is Uchiha." She held her chin upon intertwined fingers.

The onyx addressed both occupants. "Nii-san must have came here earlier and told you about our situation."

"That's why I would like an explanation." The female narrowed her eyes. "It's not normal to take leave for a whole month _especially_ with exams around the corner."

The stoic remained impassive. "We are out on business matters; father wants us to visit branches all over the world so we can get prepared for taking over the company and he won't approve of any other time."

"And why would Uzumaki need to go with you?" The lady quirked a brow.

The speaker continued. "This involves him too." He stated as if it was no big deal before suddenly narrowing his eyes. "You already got a reason from us; you don't need to know any more."

"Fine." The principle growled, clearing not happy with the remark but forced to comply. "Just make sure he's safe; no matter how misbehaved this punk is, he's still a student here and therefore under my tutelage, understand?"

The intended nodded. "Hai."

"Good." She smiled at the flaxen before her expression became stern. "Now beat it! You both need to get back to class and make arrangements so that your learning won't be impacted as severely while you're gone!"

The pair complied. "Yes ma'am."

"Okay!"

* * *

"What happened the other day?"

Upon returning to the designated room, the two were greeted by triple expectant stares. However, the teacher was in the middle of a lecture, forbidding them from talking. Whispering, the pair agreed on meeting up for lunch in order to fulfill the trio's desire.

As Naruto approached his table—Sasuke in tow—and made to find his peer a seat, he realized he was being watched by his three friends.

The Uzumaki sighed. "Must I explain _all_ of it, Shikamaru?!" The looks he received answers his question immediately. No duh. He groaned in frustration. "Fine then." He turned to face the Uchiha. "Help me with this." With a roll of his eyes, the raven agreed. Once the five moved to a spot no one could overhear them in, both recalled the prior day's events to the eager listeners—of course with some details left out and reworded on purpose by the stoic.

The Nara shook his head. "So that's how it is, huh? Mendokusē."

"No wonder you're a jerk; that dad of yours is also a jerk!" Kiba barked out.

Chōji appeared sad. "I had no idea that your life was like that."

"I don't need your pity." The words were spat out, causing the afflicted's expressions to darken in anger.

The tawny crossed his arms. "Teme! How _dare_ you say that! They were sympathizing with you!" He leered. "Consider others' feelings as well!" The berated had no counter to that. "Now apologize!"

"...I take back what I said." The reluctant muttered.

The tanned huffed. "As I expected." He then glanced at his comrades. "By the way, the reason we were called up is because we had to discuss the reason we are going and the arrangements we need to take to not fall too behind."

"I see." The genius nodded before straightening his back, turning to the blond. "Well...each day while you're gone, I'll give you a crash course on the material we had covered."

The addressed perked up at that. "Really?!"

"I'll send you your homework!" The Akimichi offered.

The Inuzuka was fast to follow. "I'll call you to see how you're doing!" He jabbed a finger at his companion's chest. "Don't you dare forget or else I'll have Akamaru hunt you down and you know you don't want that..." The threatened shivered at that statement.

"It's a good thing I gave you an iPod 5 for your birthday so we can still communicate with each other." The lackadaisical yawned as if it was a casual matter. As if. He surveyed them both. "How are you going to make up the exams?"

"We'll do them on the first week of second semester." Sasuke replied naturally. "Right dobe?"

The insulted sulked. "Yeah, yeah." He sighed. "I can't believe I'll have to do them in addition to other homework. At least I'll have extra time to study." He faced the sable. "You too."

"Like I need it." The guy scoffed.

The brunet humphed. "Of course he would say that..." He ignored the glare directed at him as he commenced. "Now that we're done, let's go back to eating lunch!"

* * *

"I can't believe it's time for you to go!"

The school day had ended, releasing all of the students from each classroom. The hexad walked to the front, the four wanting to spend as much time with their buddy as possible before he had to leave.

The tawny chuckled. "Aww, looks like _someone's_ going to miss me!" He beamed as he ruffled brown locks. "You mutt!"

"Shut up!" The auburn wrapped the blond into a crushing hug, nearly constricting him. His dog mimicked him. "You better come back in one piece!"

"Yeah, yeah..." He grinned.

The lazy cleared his throat. "Naruto," he caught the boy's attention, "have you already cleared all of your possessions?"

The addressed's spirit all but dampened. "I managed to pack all of my stuff, but I haven't moved them out yet. I'll take them out after Sasuke's brother picks us up—" As if on cue, a black limo appeared, a certain man stepping out. His features immediately brightened. "Hey Itachi!"

The greeted smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Naruto-kun." He turned his head. "Otouto."

"So _you're_ the older brother, huh?" The sloth observed.

The portly bowed. "Nice to meet you!"

"I guess since it's polite..." The russet did the same.

Shikamaru scrutinized the elder. "Take good care of Naruto for us, Itachi-san." He copied his friends' action, showing his respect.

"I will." The man assured before he went back into the transport, the other two following.

"Bye! See you later!" Naruto cried out, waving his arms as the vehicle began driving away.

The tetrad returned the gesture. "Ja na!"

* * *

"We'll be dropping by your place to pick up your belongings, right?"

Konohagakure Academy had long since disappeared from sight. As the Uzumaki had said, their first destination was his prior home. The boy felt tense, the events from the past few days weighing down on him. He most likely won't ever be returning to that space...

The blond snapped to his senses, paying attention to the adult. "Yeah."

"I remember the way." Sasuke pointed out before giving the driver directions to the flaxen's quarters.

Upon arriving, the ex-resident stepped out. "I'll be back."

"Wait." The listener paused at that. His peer followed him out along with his relative. "We'll help; in that way, we can get going faster."

The tawny nodded in understanding. "Just don't judge my former apartment." Having agreed, the group advanced into the previous dwelling, the evicted leading. The siblings took in their surroundings, surprised that the building was even able to be inhabited; many areas were in need of desperate repair while others were just filthy. How did anyone _survive_ in this place? Why did anyone even _want_ to live here?

"What a dump." The stoic seethed.

The older shook his head. "It's sad that you even had to live here."

"It's better than nowhere." The tanned shrugged. "Besides, before my rent increase, this place was relatively cheap."

"But not anymore." The senior narrowed his eyes. "Where is this 'landlord' who had the nerve to get rid of you?"

The questioned shrugged. "Believe it or not, his office isn't here; he just owns the place."

"That's...good to know." For some reason, the air had dropped a few degrees.

They then entered the room, the guests nonplussed to find it...empty. That didn't fit the person they were with. Spotting the few boxes there were, the pair helped carry the stuff to the trunk before exiting.

The Uzumaki couldn't help but stare at what used to be his home. "Good riddance, huh?"

"It should be." Those words stunned even the speaker. However, Sasuke continued. "I mean, why continue living in that dump? No one deserves that."

"He's right, Naruto-kun." Itachi agreed. "But think about it this way; a new chapter of your life has just begun."

The addressed smiled at that. "I guess you both are right." He glanced at the two in turn, truly grateful. "Thank you." The obstinate appeared to not be affected; the red tinting his cheeks was just a trick of the light. Yeah, that's right. It _definitely _was not a blush.

"You're welcome, Naruto-kun." The adult cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence. Once everything appeared to return to normal, he commenced. "Let's go back to the mansion to rest up for tonight; we'll be leaving tomorrow."

* * *

The 6th of December

The day of the trip had finally arrived. The blond was a jumble of emotions; although he was genuinely excited, he was sad too because he was leaving his closest companions, even if for a short amount of time. He was also scared, not knowing what would happen but he knew that he had to throw those negative emotions away; after all, a new experience was opening up to him and if at the end of it all, he and Sasuke became friends, then everything would be absolutely worthwhile!

"You ready?" Itachi queried as the three got into a car, the eldest taking the wheel.

Naruto beamed upon being asked. "Yeah!"

* * *

Translation: Baa-chan=Granny, gaki=brat, Nii-san=Older brother, Hai=Yes, Mendokusē=How troublesome, Otouto=Little brother, Ja na=Bye

The crossing over begins the next chapter. We'll see which fandom gets picked first! ;)

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	8. Chapter 8

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

That's fine **Jazz**! ^_^

Yep, Tsunade's the principle alright! It _DEFINITELY_ fits her! :D

Well, it's technically supposed to end on the 31st of December. They'll be taking the plane to far away places. I hope this makes sense! ^^'

Aww, thanks! I'm glad you like the Itachi in this story! I'M SO FLATTERED! XD

I hope they won't meet either! There would be a _HUMONGOUS_ explosion after all! However, they might meet later on. We'll see unless you don't want me to write that... /:

You'll see shortly! :P

Of course! I'll include those two fandoms as well! n_n

Oh wow! It must have been _THAT_ terrifying in order to give you a heart attack! O_O

I hope you'll do well on those exams and projects! ^_^

I hope so too! :3

I see now. What a coincidence! :O

Thanks for the thought! C:

Yep! (:

I bet Kefka would! D:

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Kingdom Hearts. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Naruto beamed upon being asked. "Yeah!"_

* * *

"We're here."

The Uzumaki had fallen asleep, the ride having taken many hours. In his unconsciousness, he was unable to notice that a certain someone had been staring at him the whole time. Itachi chuckled, amused by his brother's antics.

The blond woke up at the announcement, rubbing all the tiredness out of his eyes before surveying his surroundings. The place appeared to be shrouded in an eternal night even though it had to have been the late aftertoon at most, the twinkling sky only reinforcing that notion. The plaza was illuminated by lamps scattered across the space as candles spread their luminescence over the furnishings they were set on, adding to the feel.

"Where are we?" The flaxen questioned.

The eldest pointed at an overhead sign. "Our first stop; Traverse Town." He glanced around as he spoke. "This location is said to be the place where those who are lost end up, whether they had lost their homes or lost their way."

"Wow..." The listener was in awe. "Sugoi! I've never heard of a place like this!"

The senior smiled. "I'm glad you like it here."

"I sure do!" The boy beamed.

Sasuke grunted, drawing attention to himself. "There's nothing new since the last time we came here."

"You went here before?!" His peer exclaimed.

The oldest joined in. "We have; father would go here for business and would take us with him so he could still keep an eye on us even while working." He shrugged. "That's how I knew the way here."

"Oh, that makes sense." The inquirer seemed a bit down at the answer he had received.

The replier laughed. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad; I was just explaining why otouto and I are familiar with this place!"

"It's fine!" He smiled.

The adult returned the gesture. "That's good." He turned to the patio within the open café. "It's been a long drive; I think it's best to get something to eat now."

"Yeah!" The stoic silently followed as the two went ahead, one running while the other was simply walking leisurely.

The three were seated to a table, ordering their food. As they placed down their menus, a long shadow suddenly casted over them. "Who are you?" They looked up, finding that a young brunet male who had a long scar between blue eyes and wore a black jacket over a white shirt accompanied by a number of brown belts around jeans of the same color had approached them. "You aren't from around here, are you?"

"That's no way to treat visitors!" A fair-skinned girl sporting ebon hair that matched her vest and shorts above grey boots shouted as she went up to him, hands on her hips.

The addressed scowled. "Mind your own business."

"Don't be like that." A beautiful maiden bearing brown bangs which framed emerald orbs and a single braid which reached past a cerise blouse containing an intricate white design over pink frills covering another cream set approached the pair, settling between them as she then paid her attention to the foreigners. "Excuse him, that's who he is." She smiled. "Let's introduce ourselves; I'm Aerith."

The auburn scoffed. "Leon."

"Name's Yuffie!" The second cried out. "I'm a ninja by the way!" She declared as showed her moves.

The tanned was astonished. "Wow! I wish _I_ was a ninja too!"

"I know." She responded, prideful.

The tawny grinned. "By the way, I'm Naruto!"

"Itachi. Nice to meet you." The eldest greeted.

"Yoroshiku!" The females beamed before turning to the last.

For a while, the younger didn't respond. After scrutinizing the strangers for several moments, he finally sighed. "...Sasuke."

"Teme!" The blond knocked over his chair as he abruptly stood up, leering at his peer. "Be more polite!"

The chastised turned his head away. "Hn." A tense silence hung over the area for almost a minute—the two exchanging glares—until it was at last broken.

"So what are you guys doing here?" The energetic lass prompted. "Are you lost?"

The auburn female stepped in. "Most who come here have lost their way, after all."

"That's what I was going to ask them earlier." The guy scoffed only to be ignored.

The waiter returned, handing the dishes to the customers. Once the server had left, the oldest spoke up. "I'm taking the three of us on a trip in order to gain new experiences."

"Isn't today a school day?" The scarred brought up as he stared down at them. "Isn't that irresponsible?"

The stoic cut in. "Nii-san told the principle about our leave and approved. We also worked out how we would be able to get our assignments done and complete our tests."

"I see..." The interrogater mused before realization suddenly dawned on him. "Wait, aren't you the Uchiha brothers?!" He kept his voice low as he pressed them. The nods he received answered his question. He sighed. "I had a strange feeling as I saw you...but who's he?" He pointed at the flaxen.

The adult smiled. "Naruto-kun is my otouto's friend, isn't that right?" He glanced at his sibling.

"..."

He shook his head. "Sasuke isn't very social as you can see."

"Just like Leon!" The girls laughed at their companion's expense.

"Hey! Over here!" A boy who supported caramel locks which pointed in every direction over oceanic hues above a sable jacket obscuring a gainsboro shirt that matched baggy shorts contrasting with onyx sneakers paired with amber speeded towards the six, a lad who bore silver hair which fell upon cyan eyes over a cream vest outlined with yellow and blue that led to teal pants paired with slate footwear slowly strolling after him.

The russet crossed his arms. "Sora...Riku."

"Hey guys!" Yuffie exclaimed, waving them over.

Aerith beamed. "It's nice to see you both again!"

"Same here!" The arrival shouted as he stopped before them. Upon seeing the new faces, he paused. "Who are you?" After the addressed introduced themselves, the asker grinned. "I'm Sora!"

"They should already know our names by now you know." The slate stated as he finally joined his comrade.

His partner pouted. "But they wouldn't have known who's who!"

"Sure. They probably would have figured it out sooner or later." The snarker smirked.

The kid groaned in mock frustration. "Leon, Riku's being Riku again!"

"Not my problem." The scarred humphed.

The ninja laughed. "That's just like you two!"

"Now, now..." The ornate stepped in, attempting to placate them. "Try and get along with each other!"

The calmer shrugged. "Tell that to this airhead, not me."

"What did you say?" The insulted pounced his friend, putting him in a head-lock. "You want to say that again?"

The questioned chuckled as he reversed their positions, giving the other a noogie. "Sure. 'Tell that to this airhead, not me.'"

"You jerk!" The bystanders watched the hexad's interaction, observing how they got along. However, they were mainly focusing on the pair who were now practically wrestling each other.

The tawny was stunned. "Is there something going on between them?"

"What makes you think that?" The stoic inquired.

The eldest joined in. "It's how they can mess with each other like that." He folded his hands, supporting his chin on them. "I would like to see that kind of closeness again soon..." The crypticness of that statement was not lost on the minors, the tanned exchanging a baffled look with the other who remained seemingly impassive.

"What going on here?" Two new males appeared, the taller having crimson hair styled into a haphazard mane which flowed past a golden scarf surrounding a tangerine sleeveless sark bearing maroon pockets parted at the middle to reveal a white shirt underneath over tan pants and incarnadine shoes as the other had sunny windswept tresses above stunning blue eyes who wore a cream jacket outlined by monochromatic checkers at the seams the same as the band on his left wrist and dual rings of opposing schemes that opened up over its ebon counterpart zipped up all the way via an accessory all too similar to his identity which led to sable jeans that morphed into beige and ended at black and red sneakers.

"Axel! Roxas!" Sora called out, jogging to them. "What are you guys doing here?!"

The blond shrugged. "We decided to grab a bite."

"I agreed to treat Roxy to whatever he wants." The ginger explained, grinning at the pout he received.

"Don't call me that!" The adolescent screamed.

The redhead smirked. "Too bad, got it memorized?" The three returned to the tables, the arrivals turning to face the visitors. His eyes widened upon seeing the brothers. "Hey, aren't you two Sasuke and Itachi, the heirs to Uchiha Incorporated, one of the largest magnates in the world?!"

"Keep you voice down!" His companion barked out, frantically checking to make sure that no one had heard. After being reassured, he turned to the siblings. "Is that true? And is he a friend of yours?" He glanced at the Uzumaki.

The kin nodded. "Yes, we are." The trio then proceeded to introduce themselves for the third time.

"To think you would be visiting here." The scarlet mused. "By the way, where's your father?"

To anyone else, the questioned remained impassive...but to Naruto, they seemed to tense up. Itachi was the one who spoke. "Tou-san was too busy to come, so we came here on our own."

"Sokka..." The crimson trailed off before glancing at the foreigners' meals. "Hey! Don't let those get cold!" The addressed snapped their attention to their food, remembering that they were about to have dinner.

"Itadakimasu!" They began to eat, watching as the other seven placed their orders as well. Once the remainders had gotten their morsels, they began to chow down too. As the carmine had promised, he had given his partner what he had wanted—a light blue frozen treat. As Roxas licked at the Sea-Salt Ice Cream, Axel would occasionally steal a bite and in retaliation, he would steal some of the redhead's as well. Sora would constantly take chunks of Riku's fish, causing said person to throw some bread at him. A food fight between the two proceeded to take place, especially strange since the silverette seemed to be the type to be collected at all times. The rest were in relative peace, the girls chatting amongst themselves while Leon ate in silence.

Itachi observed the scenes unfolding before him, a fond expression on his face. "Yes, preference doesn't matter..." He went unheard by everyone else there.

* * *

The 7th of December

"Wow!"

The group had shown them the way to a hotel, the guests reserving separate rooms. After Naruto had settled down, he checked his e-mails, doing what needed to be done; he had his cram session with Shikamaru, did all the homework Chōji had sent him, and told Kiba all that had happened all before going to bed. Upon waking up, the three met up for breakfast, discussing what they wanted to do for the day.

That led to them walking around the town, the blond leading them. During then, they had run into the people they had met earlier, deciding to explore together.

Yuffie shrugged. "You get used to it after some time."

"It's still a nice place to visit." Aerith argued.

Leon sighed. "It's okay, I guess yet it's nowhere close to home..."

"Home?" The windswept quirked a brow.

Upon receiving no answer, his partner sighed. "Don't pry."

The bunch then passed a certain store, Sora stopping before it. "Whoa! I want those!" He pointed to two stuffed animals, one being an alabaster duck who bore an orange bill which complimented webbed feet below ebon pupils encased in azure corneas that were lighter than the cerulean uniform and beret he wore while the other was a tall pooch clad in a golden cap above a verdant sweater underneath a grey vest over beige capris. Riku halted as well, going to his buddy's side. The trio paused as well, the five of them being left behind.

"That's Donald and that's Goofy." The storekeeper explained as he went up to the counter, taking both with him. "They're 1046 munny each, so 2092 munny total."

"What?!" The brunet exclaimed, utterly shocked. "I don't have that much munny!"

The flaxen was stunned as well. "Just how expensive are things here if that much money is needed just to buy plushies?!"

"'Munny', not 'money'. 'Munny' has a 'U' in it and is spelled differently." The stoic sighed. "Munny is the currency here and is the equivalent to one cent."

The listener nodded in understanding. "Oh."

"Here." Their attention returned to the duo as the slate dug into his pocket, pulling out the necessary amount of cash.

The russet was surprised. "But—"

"No need to thank me." The guy stated cooly as he glimpsed an ebon rodent with huge rounded ears and oculars plus nose of the same color that had a tan face all above a crimson outfit similar to his partner's. "I want that one."

The vendor brought the third one up as well. "That's Mickey Mouse." He gazed down at the merchandise. "All three are said to bring good luck to their owners, and when they are together, something great will happen." The seller then glanced at the tag. "He costs the same so it's 3138 munny total."

"No problem." The customer paid the exact fee, giving the first two to the caramel while he kept the last.

Sora beamed. "Aww thanks Riku!"

"I said you don't have to thank me!" The gainsboro protested but to no avail.

"Too bad!" He enveloped the other into a tight hug, the pair laughing the whole time before leaving.

"Whoa..." Something suddenly caught in the Uzumaki's peripheral vision; an orange fox which carried a nonet of limbs which were the same shade as the rest of his body save for the streaks of black in his two large pointed ears above gleaming red pupils slitted in the centers above a sharp snout and appendages was laying on a self. "I want that!"

The employee held the toy before him. "That's Kurama; also known as Kyuubi, he's said to be a legendary demon who strikes fear into the hearts of people yet will be a wonderful companion once you get to understand him. He's the same price as the others."

"Wow!" He opened his wallet only to be disappointed. "Aww man! I don't have any munny!"

"I'm sorry kid." The man made to put the plushie back—

"Wait."—only for a certain someone to stop him. Sasuke pulled out the correct quantity, offering it. The vendor took the currency, handing over the item. They then made to rejoin the group.

The blond was stunned. "You did that for _me_?"

"If you didn't get it, then you would have complained for the rest of the day; that would have been too much to bear." The raven grunted.

The flaxen pouted. "Yeah, yeah." It then transformed into a smile. "Thanks teme." He walked up ahead, happily hugging the kitsune to himself.

"You like him."

The teen was quickly irritated by the voice behind him. "Shut up, Nii-san." He turned his back, not wanting to face his brother.

Itachi smiled as he watched Sasuke's retreating figure. "Say what you like; you can't hide it from me, orokana otouto."

* * *

Translation: Sugoi=Amazing, otouto=little brother, Yoroshiku=Nice to meet you, Tou-san=Father, Sokka=I understand, Itadakimasu=Thanks for the food, Nii-san=Big brother, orokana=foolish

By the way...Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Donald, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse are all in their KH II outfits and since they appeared in the Kingdom Hearts series, I made them appear for its segment. Just saying.

Oh, and that's the actual price for a Donald plushie I found on Amazon. I used his for Goofy, Mickey, and Kurama as well. Since one munny seems to be equal to one cent, that's the total. Expensive, huh?

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	9. Chapter 9

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Evangeline039** for favoriting and following Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

I sure did **Jazz**! :3

I'm glad you like the previous chapter! (:

You'll see! ;)

I enjoy their interaction as well! I'm happy that it reminds you of your friend! :D

Aww, how sweet! ^_^

Oh wow! Kefka must be _REALLY_ popular! :O

Yep. -_-

Same here! What a battle indeed! :D

Thank you! n_n

What's the fandom that you're debating on? "?

I'm glad school's bearable for you! (:

However, for me...school is nothing but _HORRIBLE_ amounts of stress! Too much work and too little time! What makes things worse is that I have few if any friends in any of my classes! ToT

Yay! It's great that you were able to beat him! :3

I guess. /:

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Kingdom Hearts. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Itachi smiled as he watched Sasuke's retreating figure. "Say what you like; you can't hide it from me, orokana otouto."_

* * *

"Wow!"

The three had caught up, rejoining the group. They continued to wander, delving deeper into the primacy as they walked further on until they reached a set of doors.

"Here is the Gizmo Shop." The bunch went into the building, finding that there were all sorts of colorful gadgets in full operation within. "However, what we want to show you lies beyond its exit." The decet passed by, leaving through the designated portal.

The ten entered the new area, stopping before a ladder, staring at what laid above. Leon spoke up, seeming to pay no mind to the tawny's exclamation of awe. "What lies beyond this is a giant bell. Once ringed, the chime can be heard across the Second District—here—and faintly throughout the rest of Traverse Town."

"Oh cool!" The energetic newcomer cried out as he impulsively grabbed a hold of the rungs, ascending.

The stoic glared at him. "Dobe! You can't just climb up into random places! Who knows if it's open to the public!"

"It's fine!" Yuffie laughed. "Actually,_ anyone's_ allowed up there!"

The Uzumaki stuck out his tongue at his peer. "Teme! Stop being so uptight!" He pointedly ignored the glower directed at him as he continued toward his destination.

"Naruto-kun _has_ a point, you know." The elder of the siblings reasoned out, the younger barely suppressing a growl as he followed the flaxen.

The man chuckled. "When will he ever learn?"

"Um..." He turned, directing his attention to the speaker. Sora continued. "Why do those two talk like that to each other?"

Riku sighed. "There are all sorts of people out there and they interact differently with each other." He crossed his arms. "That's just how it is."

"But they were _insulting_ each other!" The boy screamed, flailing his arms for additional emphasis. "What kind of friends _do_ that?!"

The ginger huffed. "How naïve of you." He could care less about the leer he received as he continued. "Different people respond differently to any given stimuli; everyone has a different personality after all."

"I agree with him." The windswept seconded. "You can't except people to all act the same; we would be robots then."

The chastised huffed. "Fine." He then leapt onto the bars, only turning back to face the silverette. "Come on!"

"Some things never change." The commanded let out a small smile as he joined his partner.

Aerith held a fond expression. "The youth these days..."

The rest went up shortly afterwards, going towards the landmark.

* * *

The 8th of December

Upon reaching the top of the building, the five found the blond and brunet standing eagerly before the hollow golden structure, running towards the huge rope before pulling it down, causing the object to ring. The pair giggled, continuing to yank. The remainders watched as the duo didn't cease, Sasuke rolling his eyes while the slate crossed his arms as the rest simply watched on. Despite almost being thrown out for all the racket they had caused, all in all, that had been a great outing. Of course, Naruto made sure to tell Shikamaru, Chōji, and Kiba all about it. Due to the day before being a Saturday, there had been no homework nor crash course, the joy not being dampened in the least.

After breakfast, the three once again met with the other seven, deciding to go along with what they had planned like before.

"Have you ever heard of Twilight Town?" Roxas prompted, directing his question at the tanned.

He shook his head. "No, I haven't."

"Aww, what a shame!" Axel cried out, joining the conversation. "You haven't seen a sunset until you go there!"

"Yeah!" The first exclaimed. "And the Sea-Salt Ice Cream is the best!" He sighed in content. "Salty yet sweet; what a unique flavor."

The stoic cringed. "That sounds disgusting; besides, I _hate_ sweets."

"Teme! Be more polite!" The Uzumaki screamed before turning to the pair, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry about that. He's not very polite at times." He ignored the glare pointed at him as he continued. "I would _love_ to go!"

Itachi chuckled. "If I remember correctly, Twilight Town is actually pretty close to here." He smiled. "Sure, why not?"

"Nii-san!" The younger seethed.

The accused shrugged. "While we're on this trip, we should have as much fun as we can. Besides, I've taken care of everything."

"...Fine." The reluctant conceded.

Having succeeded, he turned to the flaxen. "By the way, here's some munny." He handed the other some of the currency. "I'm sorry about yesterday; I went to an exchange earlier to obtain this. Now you won't have any trouble when buying something."

"Cool! Thanks!" The excited beamed.

The adult returned the gesture before turning back to the rest. "I know where it is. It would be best for me to drive us there. Is that okay?"

"Go ahead." Leon murmured before sighing. "I'll take everyone else with me."

Yuffie cheered. "This is _great!_"

"Alright!" Aerith seconded.

Sora grinned. "I can't wait!"

"...I guess." Riku shrugged.

The windswept beamed. "Then let's go!"

* * *

"Whoa!"

Whereas Traverse Town appeared to be bathed in a perpetual night, their destination seemed to be stuck in an endless dusk despite still being the morning. Gold bathed the entire land, the adobe bricks of the surrounding buildings emphasizing the effect. All in all, it was a marvelous sight to behold.

The ten got out of their rides after finding a place to park, entering a plaza filled with stores. "This is part of the Market Street known as Tram Common." Axel explained.

A whistling could be heard, directing their attention to an incoming vehicle which stayed in the path of a visible trail all over. "That trolley's the reason this place got its name." Roxas added.

"Hey, why don't we take it and go sight-seeing?!" The raven girl suggested, excited by the notion. "Besides, walking through the entire place would be _exhausting_!"

Naruto beamed at that. "That's a _great_ idea!"

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged.

Itachi chuckled. "What my little brother meant to say is 'why not'." He then nodded. "That would be the best way around."

"Fine." The scarred stated.

The brunet lady smiled. "Then it's settled! Look, there it is!" The car neared them, slowly approaching. She waved it over, the machine stopping for them. After paying the fare, the engine restarted, commencing its route.

"What _is_ that?!" As the bus went along, it passed a grey divide containing a huge crack in it.

The ginger held a hand up, ceasing the contraption's movements. The ten then got off, the incarnadine explaining afterward. "That leads to The Woods and past that is...The Old Mansion."

"The Old Mansion?" The Uzumaki couldn't help but shiver at the tone he heard. "Why did you make it sound so...ominous?"

The windswept stepped in. "We'll tell you once we get there." At that, the group walked on, entering the crevice. A small forest stretched before them, the trees blocking nearly all of the rays out. "It's just beyond there." A stretch of light shone in front of them, beckoning them forward. Upon crossing it, they were met with an incredible sight; beyond moss-covered walls laid a vast courtyard littered with the rubble of once magnificent pillars. Well-rounded bushes led to the landmark itself. The three-story manor had a fancy porch whose columns were covered in growth. The exterior was littered with fancy designs and many windows, two of which stood at opposite sides of the structure yet were completely identical and were drawn with heavy white curtains. Being stuck in a perpetual sunset, the sun highlighted the golden exterior of the building, making it stand out in the shrubbery that the architecture was surrounded in. "They say this place has been abandoned for years." The boy continued where he left off. "It seems to be true; no one has lived there for a _long_ time."

"Why would someone abandon such a place?" The stoic questioned, crossing his arms.

The speaker cupped his mouth, lowering his voice. "...No one knows."

"That's why it's one of The Seven Wonders of Twilight Town." The elder interjected.

The skeptical quirked a brow. "Seven Wonders?"

"They are The Spooky Steps, The Friend from Beyond the Wall, The Moans from the Tunnel, The Doppelgänger, The Animated Bag, The Ghost Train Mystery, and The Lonely Girl." Axel elaborated. "The first has the number of steps of the staircase leading to the train station change as you go up and down. The second has balls flying out of a wall as if somebody was throwing them. The third has eerie moans coming from a dark, closed-off location. The fourth states that people would see their own doubles within a waterfall. The fifth states that there is a bag that moves on its own atop Sunset Hill. The sixth occurs at the same place, a mystery train said to have no passengers and leading to nowhere being seen from there. The seventh and last involves this mansion, a girl being able to be seen from the drapes on the middle floor _despite_ the place being abandoned."

Naruto was in utter awe. "Whoa!" He was practically jumping up and down. "Let's go see them!"

"Don't bother." The redhead sighed.

The ecstatic visibly deflated. "But _why_?!"

"They're bogus." His companion answered, shaking his head. "You would be wasting your time; believe me, Axel and I tried only to find they were false."

The disappointed was crushed at that. "Oh..."

"Dobe..." Somehow, the insult did not have the usual power it possessed.

Sora grinned. "Don't worry! There's still a place to see that's _real_, right?"

"Right!" Roxas beamed before making his way back to The Woods. He turned back. "We'll take you there but first, let's get some Sea-Salt Ice Cream!"

* * *

"It lies beyond this door."

After purchasing the treats, the group traveled, arriving at the Station Plaza. Upon reaching there, a large structure could be seen protruding from the building. Following the seven, the trio went past the glass entrance, ascending a staircase further along.

The windswept shrugged. "Brace yourselves." He then pushed it open, exposing the sight ahead to all of them; they were standing on a ledge that overlooked all of the land underneath. Everything was visible, from the architecture below to the trees of The Woods to the breathtaking sunset.

"Whoa!" The visitors couldn't help but be in awe at the view laid out before them.

Yuffie beamed. "I'm glad I found out about this place as well!"

"Same here." Aerith seconded.

Leon grunted. "I couldn't agree more."

"It's _awesome__!_" The other brunet brought up.

Riku shrugged. "I agree."

"That's why I chose this spot!" The ginger cut in. "I was the first one to discover it and Roxy was the first I brought here!"

The mentioned pouted. "Don't call me that!" His expression then softened. "It's true though; I'm glad Axel showed me this place." He next gazed at the guests. "What do you three think?"

Itachi smiled. "I like it here."

"I _love_ this place!" Naruto exclaimed. Upon realizing that only two of them had responded, he swiveled to the third. "Sasuke, what do _you_ think?"

The asked remained silent for almost a minute. Upon being met with several expectant stares, he finally sighed. "It's not a bad place."

"Teme." The Uzumaki sighed. The group then made to sit on the edge, the flaxen beside the raven.

The visitors then watched as the septet began eating their treats. The tanned was the one to speak. "How is it?"

"Try for yourself."

Heeding to the other blond's advice, the tawny licked his bar, eyes widening upon tasting it. "Wow! This is _awesome_!" He turned to his companion. "Try it, teme!"

The addressed grunted, unwilling. "If it has a little bit of sweetness in it, I'll hate it." Upon being pressured by them all, Sasuke stared at his own for several moments before sighing, giving up. "Katte ni shiro." He reluctantly bit into it, evaluating it for himself. After a few seconds, he shrugged. "I guess it's not too bad."

"See? I _knew_ you would come around!" The stoic pointedly ignored the windswept as he ate.

Once they all finished, they gazed ahead, watching the star as it shone in the horizon. "What a perfect moment." As the speaker said that, he reached into his jacket, pulling out a certain object. The younger Uchiha's eyes widened as they fell upon Kurama, hugged tightly to the observed's chest. The grateful beamed. "Thanks again for the plushie; I appreciate it."

"Hn." Once could swear red had tinted the boy's cheeks as they all watched the sun set.

* * *

Translation: orokana=foolish, otouto=little brother, Nii-san=Older brother, Katte ni shiro=Whatever

I'm not sure if Twilight Town is actually near Traverse Town, but let's just say they are in this story.

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	10. Chapter 10

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Katatonic97** for favoriting and following Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Actually **Jazz**, they only went to Twilight Town for the 8th of December; it was a part of the Kingdom Hearts fandom request. Sorry about that. /:

Yep, they _SURE_ went exploring and sight-seeing! They had _A LOT_ of fun doing so! Twilight Town is a _REALLY_ nice place after all! ^_^

Really?! Oh wow! :O

Good thing indeed! :D

Thanks for the chat! I'll reply to your review in the next chapter of Shinobi no Pokémon! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Hn." Once could swear red had tinted the boy's cheeks as they all watched the sun set._

* * *

The 9th of December

"Aww man! Are you guys _really_ leaving right now?!"

It was nightfall when the group returned to the hotel. After Naruto had told what he and the others had done during their stay in Twilight Town to his friends, Itachi entered his room, saying that he had to tell him and Sasuke about the flow of their trip; it turns out that that was their last day in Traverse Town. After all, they had so many more places to see and he had already taken care of business here.

In the morning, after packing up, the three told the seven this. Let's just say they were more than a little disappointed.

The Uzumaki appeared upset as well as he faced the shortest brunet. "Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"But _why?!_" The questioner whined.

The silverette sighed. "Don't be a kid; they probably already had plans beforehand."

"Riku's right, you know." Leon agreed.

Yuffie jumped in, directing her gaze at the trio. "Oh come on! Stay a little longer!" She began matching in the direction of the elder Uchiha's vehicle. "I'll even help you guys take everything out again!"

"Did you hear what was just said earlier?" The scarred rubbed his temples, annoyed only to be ignored.

Sora beamed at that. "I'll help too!" The slate couldn't help but face-palm at that.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hold on!" Axel exclaimed, blocking the pair's path.

The raven girl glared. "Move out of the way! We've got a mission to do!" She then crouched. "If not, I'll use my jutsu on you!"

"That's not nice!" Aerith called out.

Roxas stepped in. "Let's hear what they have to say _first_ before being so brash."

"Oh fine!" The two reluctantly conceded, turning to the visitors.

The eldest smiled. "Thank you." He stated before continuing. "It's true; we had plans earlier. Our next destination is far, so we have to get going now. I already booked the three of us new accommodations in that location." He glanced at his accompaniment. "I want both of them to experience as much as possible so we're going to many places all around."

"Oh..." The attempted infiltrators sulked, ceasing their task.

The stoic grunted. "We're behind schedule, aren't we?"

"Teme! Be more polite!" His peer growled.

His brother nodded, attracting the blond's focus to him. "We do need to get going though."

"Will we see you again?!" The caramel prodded.

The older sibling shrugged. "Why not? Once our trip is over, we can come back."

"Yay!" The energetic duo shared high-fives, absolutely thrilled.

The auburn maiden started to wave. "Bye! See you again!"

"You better not forget!" The ninja yelled.

The keet grinned. "I can't wait to see you all again!"

"Don't be strangers." The gainsboro stated.

The ginger smirked. "Come back soon, got it memorized?"

"It'll be nice to see you again!" The windswept shouted.

The russet man hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. "We should all exchange numbers."

"Oh wow! Why didn't _I_ think of that?!" The kunoichi and the chestnut screamed simultaneously, causing everyone else to sweat-drop.

The adult chuckled. "What a great idea." The groups did just that, the three heading towards the car afterwards, saying their partings. "Thanks for showing us around."

"I'll miss you all!" The flaxen announced.

The stoic remained silent for several moments before finally opening his mouth. "...Bye."

The seven watched as the trio departed, not leaving until they were out of sight.

* * *

"Here we are."

After having fallen asleep from the long ride once again, Naruto opened his eyes, taking in the scenery. "Oh wow!" A myriad of well-kept edifices rose high above the paved roads, giving the metropolis an air of abundance and success. Despite that, plenty of greenery was visible throughout the land. However, what stood out the most was the grand silver monument that took on the shape of the Eiffel Tower. All in all, it was a magnificent sight to behold.

"This is Lumiose City." Itachi stated. "It's a one of a kind place that is very prosperous and is home to a myriad of special creatures."

The Uzumaki quirked a brow. "Special creatures? You mean species of animals I've _never_ seen before?!"

"Something like that." The man shrugged.

Sasuke huffed, crossing his arms. "They look like something straight out of a children's cartoon."

"Don't be like that; they are essential to the people's prosperity here after all." The adult shook his head. "Besides, the people here a _very_ good friends with them."

The oblivious pouted. "But what _are_ they?!"

"You'll see soon enough." With that, the eldest stepped out of the vehicle, the other two following him. They wandered the streets, observing what was around. The flaxen was in absolute awe as he gazed at all of the buildings, everything so unfamiliar to him.

"Pika! Pika!"

A chubby rodent that was yellow all over except for the its ruddy cheek pouches, the sable tips on its long, pointy lobes, the two brown stripes on its back and the chestnut of its lightning-shaped tail suddenly materialized out of seemingly nowhere and stopped before them, astonishing the tawny. "What _is_ that?!"

"Pikachu! Come back here!" A short boy tanned throughout his body who wore scarlet traveling soles below dark jeans and a short-sleeved cerulean jacket which contrasted with black and red fingerless gloves as well as a crimson cap that sat on his head and smothered raven locks chased after the vermin, pausing before the trio as well. The stranger was confused as he stared at them. "Um, are you guys new around here? I've never seen either of you before!"

The oldest chuckled. "My otouto and I have visited in the past, but not Naruto-kun." He glanced at the third. He then smiled. "It's best to introduce ourselves; I'm Itachi," he next gestured to his sibling, "and this is my little brother, Sasuke."

"Name's Naruto Uzumaki!" The blond grinned.

The kid beamed. "I'm Ash Ketchum!" He then picked up the muridae. "And this is my trusty pal Pikachu!" The mentioned squirmed in its owner's grasp before crying out, electrocuting him. The attacked was forced to let go, covered in black soot.

The visitors were shocked. "Are you okay?!" The energetic cried out. "Did something short-circuit on you?!"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine but that was Pikachu's doing. That Thunderbolt _sure_ packed a punch though." The stricken replied, suddenly appearing normal.

The newcomer was stunned beyond belief. "How did you recover so quickly?! Didn't Pikachu just zap you earlier?!" His volume was increasing with each word, causing heads to turn for several moments before the citizens went back to their daily activities.

The demanded blinked as he observed himself. "Oh? This?" He shrugged. "Pikachu does that whenever he's annoyed or provoked; I'm used to it."

"Tch. Usuratonkachi." The insulter huffed. "The people here have high tolerance to electricity, burns, and freezing."

The offended frowned. "How was _I_ supposed to know teme?!"

"Teme? Usuratonkachi? What are _those_ supposed to mean?!" Upon receiving no answer, he sighed. "Nevermind that. I just don't know what's gotten into him recently; he jumped off my shoulder earlier and started sniffing the air before running towards you three."

As if on cue, the discussed approached them once more, jumping up and down. "Pikapi!" Upon closer inspection, however, they all realized that he was reaching towards a certain someone...

"Teme?! Why is Pikachu leaping at _you?!_" The curious questioned.

The trainer tapped his temples in thought. "Huh? That's strange; Pikachu only acts like this when ketchup is around." He appeared dumbfounded. "But I don't think there's any nearby!"

"There is." A packet was pulled out of the responder's pocket, drawing attention to him.

The flaxen was surprised. "I didn't know you carried ketchup on you!"

"...Tomatoes are my favorite food, that's why." A hint of a blush flashed by his cheeks which was missed by almost everyone. _Almost_. The elder smirked at that.

The mouse was practically hypnotized by the sight, mouth watering. "Pika..."

"Sorry about this; Pikachu _loves_ ketchup." The child sighed before walking up to his companion. "Sorry buddy, but that isn't yours. You can't just take it."

The vole was literally on the verge of crying, tears flooding his eyes. "Kapi..."

"Fine." All heads snapped towards the speaker as he handed the pouch over to the rodent, the upset instantly cheering up as he opened the plastic, greedily slurping the contents.

Ash grinned. "Thanks for giving your ketchup to Pikachu!" He glanced at his comrade. "What should you say?"

"Kachu!" The mammal beamed.

Sasuke humphed. "Hn."

"Okay..." Naruto muttered, unsure what to say before the quadrupedal caught his eye. "So it's a boy?"

The keeper nodded. "Yep!" He crouched down to the vermin's height. "All males have the ends of their tails as straight lines while females have them shaped as hearts." The explainer then picked the smaller up, this time the held squeaking contently as opposed to before. "Pikachu is my most trusted friend and is the first Pokémon I've ever gotten!"

"Pokémon?! What's that?!" The native was shocked at the question.

The stoic couldn't help but face-palm. "Those are the creatures we were talking about earlier."

"Please remember that Naruto-kun hasn't been here before; it's understandable that he doesn't know." The oldest reminded in a placating manner.

Ketchum laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "That's fine!" He cleared his throat before continuing. "Pokémon are mysterious creatures that roam only certain parts of the world. They come in all shapes and sizes. There are eighteen types: dragon, ghost, ground, flying, poison, bug, water, electric, rock, grass, dark, ice, normal, fire, fighting, steel, psychic, and fairy. Pokémon can either be one of those types or two. Pikachu is an electric-type."

"Hey!" The five turned to the source of the sound, a blond lad who had a pair of round glasses amplifying grey hues above a bleached pack covering an azure jumpsuit being surpassed by a girl who appeared to be a younger version of himself with large orbs complemented by the brown shirt and pale skirt she adorned and a maiden sporting a pink hat on her honey locks framing sapphire irises which ended at an obsidian blouse that had matching stockings and shoes over sanguine frills running towards them. The lasses were ahead of him while he was panting for breath. "Slow down! I can barely keep up!"

The youngest stuck her tongue out at him. "You _so_ out of shape, onii-chan!"

"She's right, you know." The brunet agreed.

The accused glared. "Silence!" He then directed his attention to Ash. "We finally caught up to you!" He took out his bag, extracting a device which appeared to be a satellite dish. "I _knew_ my newest creation would come in handy!"

"Until it blows up."

As if on cue, the contraption exploded, covering the arrivals in soot. He pointed a finger at the shortest. "Bonnie! You jinxed me!"

The kid crossed her arms. "Sure, sure." She then perked up as she spotted the foreigners. "Who are you three?"

"They're Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto. They're not from here." The capped answered as he gestured to each one. "Pikachu ran earlier because he smelled the ketchup Sasuke had and Sasuke gave a packet to him." He glanced at the empty pouch before throwing it away.

The unfit nodded in understanding. "Everything makes sense now!" He stared at the trio. "I'm Clemont!"

"I'm his little sister, Bonnie!" The sibling cried, arms out. An orange gerbil which looked similar to the muridae only tinier, having rounded ears, a differently-shaped tail, and appendages akin to those of a television as whiskers popped out of her bag, the child laughing as she picked it up. "And this is Dedenne!"

The last giggled at that. "My name's Serena. It's nice to meet you!"

"Do you know a little about Pokémon?" The identical nods the inventor received confirmed his question. He dug into his kapsack once more, pulling out triple russet devices characterized by rippling waves at the corners. "These Pokémon Zukans will come in handy; I managed to have some extras so you can have them." He glimpsed at the rodents. "Try them out on Pikachu and Dedenne." The instructed complied, activating them.

"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. This Pokémon has electricity-storing pouches on its cheeks. These appear to become electrically charged during the night while Pikachu sleeps. It occasionally discharges electricity when it is dozy after waking up."

"Dedenne, the Antenna Pokémon. Its whiskers serve as antennas. By sending and receiving electrical waves, it can communicate with others over vast distances."

The tawny appeared confused. "What type of species names are _those_?!"

"You see," the bespectacled began, "Pokémon are named after defining characteristics that aren't necessarily specific unlike animals."

The Uzumaki nodded in understanding. "Oh."

"Would you like for us to tour you all around?" The older female offered. "This place is _huge_ after all!"

Ash joined in. "Besides, you gave Pikachu some ketchup earlier! This is this least we can do to help!"

"Come on! _Please?!_" The youngest begged.

The older brother cut in. "I know the way best."

"Thank you for the offer." Itachi smiled. "That would be nice. However, it's getting late and we need to check into our hotel."

The auburn shrugged. "Then how about tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke remained silent for a few moments. After being glared at by his peer, he eventually sighed. "...Thanks."

"No problem!" The four cried out.

With that, they parted ways, the travers heading towards their destination.

* * *

Moves used: Thunderbolt

Translation: jutsu=technique, kunoichi=female ninja, otouto=little brother, Pikachu=Pikachu, onii-chan=big brother, Dedenne=Dedenne, Pokémon Zukan=Pokédex

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	11. Chapter 11

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter plus the finale of Shinobi no Pokémon three times along with **wolfmoon30** for favoriting simultaneously following before **Pikapikaluv** for favoriting A Serendipitous Encounter not forgetting **nasyitah. ali. 7** for favoriting Always And Forever Yours, Bijuu and You, Jealous? I Think Not... prior to **dreamyangel34**, Love Will Never Die, Maybe, Just Maybe... after **haiderstar1992**, and Not As Simple As It Sounds as well as **Kahori Hirota** in addition to **Plasma333**! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

That's fine **Jazz**! ^_^

I do too! ToT

Yep! :D

Same here! :3

You'll see! :P

I'm glad you like that I included Pikachu and Dedenne first! n_n

Yep! _JUST_ ketchup! J:

I agree; they _SURE_ are cute together! I'll add those moves into this story! :1

Wait and find out! C:

I'm glad you're better and well! I hope you have _A LOT_ of fun on that picnic! Ü

Congratulations! You guessed _ALL_ of the trivia at the end of Shinobi no Pokémon correctly! You win a one-shot! XD

I'll give you the second question because it was close enough since that _WAS_ the conflict that resulted from Zorua becoming Kyuukon! n_n

Since you answered the additional part right as well, you get to choose _ANY_ fandom(s) you desire! Tell me your idea and I'll see what I can do! (:

If it requires clips, _PLEASE_ give me the _WEBSITE LINKS_ to both the video _AND_ script—if possible.

Yep, credit to Zoroark indeed! So _THAT'S_ who you were referring to, huh? :1

Oh wow! :3

Yeah! *high fives back*

Thanks! :I

I made those nicknames because Xigbar _DID_ give nicknames in 358/2 Days like 'Poppet' to Xion, 'Kiddo' to Roxas, and 'Flamesilocks' to Axel...and I thought it was in-character and _HILARIOUS_ for him to do the same with the others! XD

No problem! ^_^

Yep! Fighting the Dustflier gave me _A LOT_ of nightmares! DX

Huh?! What did you mean by the creepy whispering voice?! O_O

Aww, you're flattering me! I _REALLY_ enjoy chatting with you as well! I appreciate _ALL_ of the encouragement you gave me throughout from the depths of my heart! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH ME! XD

Thanks for staying up so late just to post that! :3

I know, right? If it took _A LONG_ time to _READ_, guess how long it took to _WRITE_ all 32848 words?! I had to use practically _ALL_ of my free time, lost _A LOT_ of sleep, and even expended time I _SHOULD_ have been using for homework since August 26th! At least it's _FINALLY_ done! /:

I'm curious...did you read the finale all in one go or over a span of time? I would _REALLY_ like to know! (:

It's fine! I'm happy you enjoyed your picnic! n_n

Aww, thanks! I included Gaara just for you! I'm glad you like it! No problem! *Returns bear hug of the century*

Yep, the Dark Corridors _SURE_ came in handy! Good thing Roxas protected them all! :D

OH MY GOD! That reminds me of the Dustflier fight _SO_ much except I was all on my own! ToT

An epic fight indeed! J:

Ah, a battle between two time travelers...I wonder how _THAT_ would turn out? :P

That's _SO_ true! No wonder the trio changed sides! Ü

I had to laugh too! What a poker face! :3

THANK YOU SO MUCH! That comment _REALLY_ warms my heart! It makes me remember why I began writing here in the first place! I'm _INCREDIBLY ESTATIC_ that you enjoyed the finale! XD XD XD XD

HAPPY NATIONAL PABEBE WAVE TO YOU TOO! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_With that, they parted ways, the travers heading towards their destination._

* * *

The 10th of December

"What's up with this place?!"

The sight that had greeted Naruto as the three entered the hotel was...surprising to say the least. Creatures of various shapes and sizes could be spotted at practically every corner, appearances ranging from seemingly ordinary household pets to bizzare objects that would have to be _seen_ to be believed. It seemed as if every person owned a Pokémon; from simply staying beside each other to laughing to running around—cries of joy filling the air as they played—none were by themselves. In fact, when the visitors had went into the establishment—Pokémonless of course—all eyes were glued on them as though they were aliens from another planet. Even as the eldest told the people that they were mere guests, the looks _still_ didn't fade. As the victim relayed the situation to his friends, Shikamaru informed him that it was a rare sight for someone to _not_ own a Pokémon there. It didn't matter that he was a foreigner or not; it was strange nevertheless. The Uzumaki didn't doubt the Nara's word; there was no greater genius he knew. After all, despite being lazier than a sloth, he _sure_ knew his stuff.

Sasuke huffed. "Dobe." He ignored the glare shot his way as he shook his head.

"No one meant to be rude; it was just a shock for them." Itachi explained. "Pokémon are _vital_ to the way of life of people here after all."

The listener quirked a brow. "So when you guys came here in the past, did they stare as well?"

"We had not taken lodging in Lumiose City before this trip; we only went here for business transactions that lasted from morning until late afternoon at most." The stoic shrugged. "We left immediately afterwards."

The adult hummed. "We had no need to show anyone any Pokémon since all we did was have a meeting." He shrugged. "In hotels and other residences, the people here allow their Pokémon out so they can bond and relax together."

"But aren't there tourists?" The blond was as perplexed as ever. "Wouldn't there be _a lot_ of people without Pokémon?"

The conceited rubbed his temples. "Like nii-san had said earlier, Pokémon are _vital _to the prosperity of this place. The community here is also very close-knit despite being such a large metropolis; people care about what others around them are doing and what they have. That's why everyone there was so shocked. To them, it's like trying to live without a heart: both impossible and implausible." He grunted. "Or more accurately, residing in a superfluously filthy-rich neighborhood without living in a McMansion or any other garishly decorated and supererogatory space."

"Okay..." The fulvous was _still_ lost.

The oldest nodded. "Otouto is right; that's why that boy realized we weren't from here." He then sighed. "Although his descriptions are a bit too...derogatory and cynical." The mentioned didn't so much as bat an eye at the chastising.

"Then why didn't he and his friends react to us having no Pokémon?!" The nonplussed exclaimed, more puzzled than before.

The addressed shrugged. "It seems they were being more considerate than most."

"Your bill please." A pretty waitress went up to them at that moment, smiling at the three.

The eldest returned the gesture as he took out his wallet, extracting a few bills. "My treat of course." He glanced at his accompaniment as he paid the server, the girl beaming as she made to walk away.

"Wait!" The female stopped as a voice called out to her, turning to face Naruto as he began to speak. "What kind of Pokémon was used in making the sausage?"

It was as if time had frozen at that very instant; jaws were stuck hanging wide open as the creatures became as motionless as statutes, a pin dropping seeming as loud as an earthquake in the deafening silence. "_You brain-dead idiot!_" The insulter hissed, literally on the verge of _strangling_ a certain someone. "The people here _don't eat Pokémon! _Moron!"

"You see, all meat here is imported from other places. The pork in that sausage came from ordinary pigs." Itachi elaborated. "The people here are _extremely_ adverse to having Pokémon hurt in _any _possible way."

Hands were inching _oh so much _closer to a tanned neck. "You said the _worst_ thing possible usuratonkachi!" The uncharacteristic raising of voice caused the guilty to noticably flinch, as though knocked back by recoil.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T KNOW! I DIDN'T KNOW!" The Uzumaki bowed dramatically, shouting apologizes to everyone in the room who hadn't so much as _breathed_ throughout the whole ordeal.

The adult cleared his throat, gazing at each of the occupants in turn. "Like I said before, we are not from here. Therefore, it is understandable that he doesn't know some of your customs. My friend did not mean to offend anyone or wish harm upon others." The stagnancy seemed to shatter as chatter was exchanged amongst the folk, discussing the situation at hand.

"That's enough." With a slam of silverware, the conversers immediately became devoid of movement once more as Sasuke abruptly stood up, practically stalking out of the café within the hotel before leaving the establishment itself.

His sibling frowned. "Orokana otouto." He also got out of his seat, glancing at his accompaniment. "We must go after my little brother, Naruto-kun."

"But...what did I even do?! All I did was not know what that sausage was made out of!" The distraught cried out, upset.

The man's eyes softened at that. "It's not your fault. You just made a simple mistake. That's how Sasuke's like; he can't _stand_ being embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?! I did that to him?!" The Uzumaki exclaimed in disbelief.

The older sighed. "Contrary to popular belief, Sasuke can feel emotions other than anger and annoyance." He picked himself up, stretching. "Come on Naruto-kun, it's about time we should be going."

"...Okay." The room remained silent as the pair left, sound only returning long after they had vanished.

* * *

"Teme? Teme?!"

The two had quickly caught up to the third, on the streets outside of the building. However, it was as if the raven was ignoring whatever came out of his peer's mouth, not listening to a single word.

The blond groaned. "Oh come on! I said I was sorry!"

"More like screamed it for everyone to hear." The exasperated snapped back.

The accused crossed his arms. "That was _kind of_ the point; I _did_ mean to apologize to _everyone_ after all!"

"You idiot!" The insulter sneered, the words doing _nothing_ to soothe his rage. "You didn't have to be so loud! Usuratonkachi!"

The offended glared. "Then what do you want me to say?! I try to repent yet you're _still_ angry with me! What do you want me to _do?!_" The eldest witnessed the heated exchange, barely refraining from sighing; he did not plan the trip to go like this.

"Um, is this a bad time?" The three paused in their tracks, spotting a certain group as they looked up.

Relief washed over Itachi as he laid eyes upon them. "No; in fact, you all had perfect timing." He offered a grateful smile. "I believe your tour of Lumiose City would be beneficial right now."

"Are you sure?" Ash quirked a brow as he glanced at the fuming pair, perplexed.

The man nodded reassuringly. "Yes. Please show us around; some sight-seeing will be enough to cheer these two up."

"May I asked what happened earlier?" Clemont questioned, concern evident in his expression.

Sasuke turned to face the guy, contempt bleeding through his scowl. "That moron basically asked if people ate Pokémon here!"

"Teme! I was just wondering what the sausage was made out of!" The Uzumaki retorted.

However, the clarification did _nothing_ to erase the utter horror that etched onto the kids' faces. "No way! How could you?!" Bonnie screamed.

"PIKA!"

"DEDEN!"

The rodents cried out, pure terror coursing through them at the mere thought.

"I'M SORRY! I _REALLY_ DIDN'T KNOW!" The prosecuted shouted, distraught by the responses he received.

The conceited tched. "See how bad that was?"

"Hey! That's not fair!" All attention was redirected at Serena as she continued. "If he didn't know, he didn't know! He wasn't aware of what he was saying! We have no right to judge him because of that!"

The youngest appeared guilty as she looked up at the accused, regretful of what she had said. "I'm sorry."

"I'm also sorry." Her brother spoke up. "I should have realized that foreigners would most likely not know our customs. For that, I apologize."

Ketchum sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "No hard feelings, right?"

"Yeah!" The previously blamed beamed, not even a hint of resentment in his tone. "In fact, I'm glad; you guys are _a lot_ more forgiving than those people in that café!"

The adult chuckled. "I'm thankful as well." However, one of them did not share either of their sentiments. The eldest sighed. "Looks like my otouto is still upset at the situation."

The golden-haired female blinked. "Really? He looks more impassive than anything."

"Don't be fooled; Uchihas supposedly don't show their emotions to others." The speaker shrugged as if it was nothing.

However, the bespectacled couldn't help but gape. "Uchiha?! As in Uchiha Incorporated?!"

Ash swiveled to his companion, completely shocked by the development. "What are you talking about?!"

"It's one of the largest business magnates in the _world_ ran by their father—Fugaku Uchiha—as the leader!" The exclamation resonated throughout, causing people who were within earshot to pause in their tracks for several moments, only returning to their activities as nothing more was said.

The little sister gasped. "Wow!"

"But it's not like that matters right now!" The Uzumaki declared as he went beside his peer, waving a hand in front of ebon irises. "Teme? Teme?!"

However, the addressed remained unfazed, his apparent indifference not fading. The oldest shook his head. "It's no use."

"Whoa buddy! What are you doing?!" Everyone sans the sulker watched as Pikachu leapt off of his owner's shoulder, running up to the raven.

The mouse took hold of the hem of the stoic's jeans, attempting to catch his focus. "Pika pika! Pikachu?" Despite receiving no response, the rodent didn't give up; he leapt back, winking in the process. Hearts flew out, floating towards the male.

"Why is Pikachu using Attract?" Bonnie muttered, confused.

Serena hummed, lost in thought. "He must be trying to capture Sasuke's attention." And that he did; the sullen briefly glimpsed at the creature, expression unchanging. Taking that as a cue to commence, the mammal looked at the teen with rounded orbs.

"Now he's using Baby-Doll Eyes?!" Clemont shouted, surprised. "What an interesting development!"

However, whatever deference the adolescent had shown abruptly vanished, turning away. Panicked, the vole rushed to the guy's feet, tugging more insistently than ever. "Kapi! Kapi!" Streams began flowing out of his eyes, running down his cheeks.

"Isn't that Fake Tears?!" Ash gaped. "Since when could Pikachu learn that?!"

The inventor shrugged. "They can't. I guess Pikachu was so upset that he learned it despite that." He scratched his temple. "They might not be so 'fake' after all."

"It's so sad yet so cute." The caramel muttered, all of them agreeing.

The gerbil couldn't help but feel bad too. "Dedenne..."

"Tch." That seemed to have done it; the raven huffed as he snapped out of his sulking, no longer closed in on himself.

Naruto did not let the opportunity slip past him. "Sasuke." The addressed slowly turned to the speaker, glaring at him. However, the boy was not to be deterred. "I really do apologize for what happened. I didn't mean to embarrass you by saying such a horrible thing and drawing all attention to us. Even though it was completely on accident, I'm sorry that you were involved in it. I mean, _anyone_ would be embarrassed if their companion shouted out something that caught everyone's attention _especially_ if they don't like it, right?"

"...Hn." The sable grunted, acknowledging the point.

The fulvous grinned. "Alright!" He then walked up to the muridae, crouching down on his knees. "Thanks for snapping Sasuke out of it! You helped us _a lot_!"

"Kachu!" The vole cried out, purely ecstatic at the praise before getting on all fours, making his way toward a certain someone once again. "Pipi!" He frantically yanked on the edge of the younger Uchiha's pants, pleading.

His trainer quirked a brow. "Huh? It's as if Pikachu wants you to hold him." The kid crossed his arms as he gazed at the one in question. "My buddy must _really_ like you."

"Hn." The onyx gave a slight nod, allowing the mouse to do as he pleased.

The rodent cheered, climbing up the human's frame in a spiral before settling on his shoulder, beaming. "Chu!"

"Aww, how sweet!" Bonnie giggled, hands covering her mouth.

Serena hummed in agreement. "Sweet indeed."

"Hey! Don't we have to be giving that tour now?!" Ash's exclamation jolted the other five, reminding them of what they were going to do.

Clemont gasped. "That's right!" He swiftly turned, beckoning the visitors along. "Hayaku! We have a lot to show you!" The four took off, the gerbil content as it crawled back into the book bag. Meanwhile, the mouse remained with the three, smiling widely as the trio made to follow.

"So...do you forgive me for earlier?" Naruto seemed almost _shy_ as he glanced at his peer for a moment before quickly looking away, awaiting an answer.

Sasuke sighed. "Fine." Yet despite the terse tone, there was no hiding the soft smile that graced his lips...

* * *

Moves used: Attract, Baby-Doll Eyes, Fake Tears

Translation: nii-san=big brother, otouto=little brother, orokana=foolish, Pikachu=Pikachu, Dedenne=Dedenne, Hayaku=Hurry

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	12. Chapter 12

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice plus **nasyitah. ali. 7** for favoriting! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

You're right **Jazz**! Pokémon are _CENTRAL_ to the storylines after all and therefore it's best to introduce them in a movie/anime first! ^_^

*Points you to Pikachu* Funny indeed! :3

They _SURE_ were super effective! :D

I wish you did too! (:

Thanks for waiting! J:

Yep! Ü

Of course! I would _LOVE_ to see some of your headcanons so we can see which one(s) can be made into your one-shot! n_n

Fine, I'll be patient... /:

That really _IS_ Xigbar! It's fine; everybody has quirks after all! In fact, it would be abnormal to _NOT_ have quirks! :P

Riku, huh? O.O

Go ahead, you can call me that! ^_^

Sure is! :3

OH MY GOD! What kind of superhuman writers _ARE_ they?! :O

I'm _REALLY_ glad you like it! XD

Teleportation would be handy in _ANY_ situation! C:

You mean the Dustflier? Thanks! Yeah, I had to use _ONLY_ physical attacks and mostly limits to boot. Aww well, at least it's over with! J:

That means _YOU_ were the one who beat it! (:

A time loop? Uh oh... /:

YAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH! WOO! XD XD XD XD

No problem! *Does the pabebe wave back*

Can't wait to see you then! n_n

And you're back! Yeah, Naruto did something _REALLY_ wrong without him knowing! Your analogy fits _PERFECTLY_! Poor him! Ó_Ò

Yep! Pikachu learned Real Tears! :D

I like it too! Great job Pikachu! C:

Depends on the gender of the user of course; same as the human would have no effect while opposite would...I guess the human would become infatuated. I mean, since people can become confused by Pokémon moves and gain other status conditions, what's stopping them from becoming infatuated? ;)

Guess what today is? October 10th means it's Naruto's birthday! To celebrate, I decided to update! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Sasuke sighed. "Fine." Yet despite the terse tone, there was no hiding the soft smile that graced his lips..._

* * *

"Look at that!"

The children had taken the three to a myriad of places, ranging from petit souvenir shops to the grandest malls there were to offer. The museum they went to embodied the very definition of the word, displaying all sorts of objects from distant millennia to modern times, from the smallest artifacts to the largest murals. Wherever the trio explored, they were reminded of the sheer wealth and evident prosperity of the metropolis, the grandiose buildings seeming to sparkle under the brilliant rays of the sun; it was no wonder that Lumiose City had taken on that name. Itachi smirked as he had caught a certain tomato lover oh so discreetly purchasing a keychain with a certain creature on it, thoroughly amused. It looks like _someone_ was affected by Pikachu's charms...

The seven stopped before a grand silver structure which had the appearance of the Eiffel Tower, windows of intricate designs scattered throughout. The beauty of the edifice had captured Naruto, leaving him in awe. "That's the Prisim Tower. It generates power for the entire matrix." Clemont smiled. "You know, our father runs it."

"And onii-chan helps out!" Bonnie seconded.

Ash beamed. "Alright! Let's go!"

"I _always_ wanted to see the inside of the Prisim Tower!" Serena declared.

The rodents cried out, cheering. "Pika!"

"Denn Denn!"

The eldest glanced at the siblings. "If that's okay with you both."

"Of couse!" The girl exclaimed.

The bespectacled huffed. "We'll have to tell dad first."

"So what?" The sister held her hands on her hips. "You make it seem as if it's a chore! Come on!"

She grabbed her brother's wrist, running toward the entrance. "Bonnie! Slow down!" The boy was literally being dragged along, barely able to catch up.

"Hurry up!" The rest of the kids sped toward the front, the mouse leaping off of the raven's shoulder to join his trainer.

The fulvous glanced back at his companions, waving his arms in the air. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go already!"

"Usuratonkachi." The conceited shook his head, making to follow.

The adult chuckled as he was the last one to proceed, taking his time to catch up. "Orokana otouto. You can't always be so obscure..."

* * *

"What are your names?"

Upon stepping into the lobby, a man who had brown hair atop a scruffy beard as well as bushy brows above sepia hues and wore a laurel buret in addition to grey overalls plus a teal sweater had greeted the arrivals.

"My name is Itachi Uchiha." The elder then gestured to his charges. "This is my little brother Sasuke and his friend Naruto Uzumaki." Surprisingly, no scoffing followed. The oldest made a mental note of that.

The guy appeared surprised. "Uchiha? As in Uchiha Incorporated?" His shock only multiplied upon receiving a single nod. "I'm Meyer, the keeper of the Prisim Tower. To what do I owe this honor?"

"We aren't here on business sir." The speaker confirmed before glancing at the pair. "You see, the three of us are on a trip and Lumiose City is one of our destinations. I want them to see as much as possible so I asked your son, daughter, and his friends to show us around."

The youngest stepped up, her sibling beside her. "Can we show them around?! PLEASE?!"

"We promise to be careful." Clemont added.

The asked shrugged. "Go ahead." He slowly turned to two others. "It's nice meeting you again Ash, Serena."

"Same here!" The lad beamed.

The girl giggled. "Thank you so much!"

"No problem." The brunet smiled as his eyes fell upon the Pokémon. "The electric-types will feel right at home here."

"Chu!"

"Nne!"

The leaders went ahead, beckoning the rest over. "This way!"

* * *

"This is it!"

The nine were before a grand door, the bespectacled approaching it. Typing in a passcode, the boy unlocked the barrier, revealing all that was within to the spectators.

"Whoa!" A myriad of creatures filled the room, beasts that were blue all over except for the golden fur of their flanks, front paws, and the stuck-up pyramids on their heads containing crimson pupils among them. However, all had one thing in common; electricity flashed across their forms, diverting into the equipment before them.

The lad grinned while gazing at the workers. "Electric-types provide energy to the Prisim Tower and hence to the rest of the city. Those Raiboruto make up a large percentage of the generators." He smirked as he pushed up the frames of his glasses. "We take the best care of the Pokémon here and they are more than happy to help! Look at all those Thunderbolts! It's thanks to them that we can live the lives we live!" Upon hearing his voice, an azure lion who had scarlet sclera bearing an ebon mane as well as hair of the same color on the front of its forelegs along with patches of gold inside the lobes of its rounded ears, stripes on its first pair of limbs, and the star on the end of its tail, a yellow bipedal lizard possessing black over the upper half of its face leading to a contracted frill ending in orange triangles which were also present around its calves and beneath the sable of the tip of its vertebrae in addition to cerulean orbs, a metallic sphere which had three bolts drilled into its circumference plus U magnets that had blue and red bars—opposite schemes for each—setting off a single wide eye, and an automaton that appeared identical to the latter save for being consisted of three fused together approached the lad, gleeful at his return. "Rentorar, Elezard, Koiru, Reakoiru...it's nice to see you four!"

"Rar!"

"Zar!"

"Koi!"

"Rea!"

A shuffling came from the youngest's bag, the gerbil popping out. "Denn Denn!"

"Guys, meet Dedenne!" Bonnie beamed. "Onii-chan found it one day and is letting me take care of it!"

"Dede!"

The tetrad crowded around the introduced, cheering. "Re!"

"Ele!"

"Ru!"

"Iru!"

"Pika!" The mouse scurried up to the five, all six chatting excitedly.

Ash chuckled at the sight. "I'm glad you're all getting along!"

"This place is pretty neat!" Serena declared, Ketchum agreeing completely.

The Uzumaki couldn't help but gape as he stared at every corner. "I've never seen anything like this before!"

"No duh dobe." The insulted shot a glare at the offender who simply brushed it off as he continued. "Pokémon can't exist in most places after all." It seemed as if time sputtered to a halt as the stoic said that, the kids freezing in place as the creatures practically became statues.

The fulvous's expression twisted into one of horror as he took in the scene. "W-What just happened?!"

"What? It's true." The raven shrugged, indifferent.

Clemont slowly nodded as he reanimated. "He's right; once Pokémon are taken to any place that doesn't naturally have them...they perish." The atmosphere only became more desolate at that.

"Orokana otouto." The eldest shook his head, dismayed. "You basically did what you condemned Naruto-kun for earlier: saying something taboo that isn't well-received by the people here, but you were aware of it." No response was given.

The flaxen was _still_ perplexed. "But how does that make any sense?! Something can't just die because it was removed from its habitat!"

"Actually, it's possible." The nonplussed swiveled to Itachi as he spoke. "It's the same as forcing a common dolphin into captivity." Confused by the analogy, the bemused prompted him to continue. "You see, common dolphins are perfectly happy and healthy in their natural environments but when captured, it's difficult to keep them either happy or healthy. In fact, most end up dying." The adult grunted solemnly. "Pokémon are the same; take them out of their natural environments, and they almost always die no matter how happy or healthy they were beforehand, even if the new place is virtually identical to the prior."

The listener was shocked beyond belief. "...No way." The teen suddenly snapped out of it, shooting a glare at the responsible. "Teme! How could you say such a thing?!"

"Oh please. Don't treat it as if you were any different earlier." The onyx sneered.

The accused was _fuming_. "I WAS! UNLIKE YOU, I DIDN'T KNOW!"

"You two, calm down." The tawny was stunned by the assertive tone the oldest had assumed before narrowing his eyes at his sibling. "Although both of you said something that the people here take offense to, there's a difference between saying something in ignorance and saying something even when you know its impact."

The addressed turned away, not meeting his brother's gaze. "...Hn."

"Apologize. Naruto-kun did that, and so should you." The domineering command left _no_ room for objection. At. All.

The guilty sighed, at last conceding as he faced the children. "Sorry."

"I guess it's fine." However, there was _no_ hiding the uneasiness in Serena's voice.

Ash couldn't bring himself to act any different. "You didn't mean it after all...hehe."

Yet the youngest could. "How _dare_ you say that! Nobody wants to be reminded of it!" She glowered. "Wouldn't that be nice if we could bring our Pokémon with us to other places?! How would _you_ feel if someone told you that your best friend would die if they step out of their homes even though you already knew?!_ No one_ wants to hear that! NO ONE!" The girl was heaving for breath as she had finished her tirade.

"Now, now, Bonnie...there's no need to say that." The pleader attempted to placate...in vain. The lights abruptly flickered, the bespectacled panicking at that. "Oh no! Due to the Pokémon not transferring any more energy, we're losing power!" He grabbed fistfulls of hair and started yanking. "This is the main generating room! If this keeps up, the whole city could go into a blackout!"

The golden-haired female gasped. "Oh no!"

"Sonna!" Ketchum exclaimed.

Itachi couldn't help but face-palm. "Orokana otouto."

"LISTEN UP!" All heads shot toward the shouter, every occupant in the room staring. "Yes, Sasuke said something wrong and was being a hypocrite for basically doing the same thing he accused me of." Naruto glared at the one in question before clearing his throat, continuing. "But I strongly believe that Sasuke didn't mean any harm to _any_ of you!" The jaws simultaneously smashing onto the ground did not help matters. Yet was ignored. "I mean, Sasuke was basically pointing out a fact to me just earlier as thoughtless as he did so but still! Based on what I know about Sasuke, he isn't a guy who wants to exploit others for his own gain or make others miserable! He's not a sadist! He actually cares about others!" The speaker took a deep breath before lowing the volume of his voice to almost a whisper. "A few days ago...something bad happened to me. Sasuke saw that I was distressed and asked what was wrong in his own way. Yes, he was _kind of_ a jerk but at least he cared and I got to know him better! He's not a bad person!" A certain someone couldn't stop himself from being awestruck, having had no idea that the Uzumaki had thought of him in that way. That certain someone's brother smirked at the reaction he witnessed. The talker then addressed all of the Pokémon, commencing. "You all are incredible! You all do so much for the people here! You guys might not be able to leave, but then why would you need to? There are people who need you right here and they love you deeply! There's no need to be anywhere else! Your home is here!" The room suddenly erupted into cheers, the occupants truly inspired by the speech.

"Pika Pika!"

"Nne Nne!"

The rodents jumped up and down, ecstatic. Ash beamed. "That's _just_ what we needed!"

"I feel the same!" Serena declared, agreeing whole-heartedly.

Bonnie giggled. "Yay!" She then swiveled to the stoic, grinning. "I forgive you!"

"We all do." Her sibling nodded as he smiled. "You know, I never thought of it that way."

Itachi shrugged. "That's Naruto-kun for you; he surprises us all."

The mentioned blushed at the compliment. "...Thanks."

"You're welcome." The man smiled before turning to his brother. "Right Sasuke?"

"...Hn." However, there was something different about the raven's expression...

The lights suddenly flickered once more, drawing everyone's attention back to the matter at hand. Clemont gazed at the electric-types, speaking to all of them. "Let's go supply some power!"

* * *

Moves used: Thunderbolt

Translation: Pikachu=Pikachu, onii-chan=big brother, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Raiboruto=Manectric, Rentorar=Luxray, Elezard=Heliolisk, Koiru=Magnemite, Reakoiru=Magneton, Dedenne=Dedenne, Sonna=No way

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	13. Chapter 13

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice, fifteen of my author's notes here, and Kalyeserye ToYaGo!—not forgetting **Guest** for doing the latter sans leaving out **sakura. kinomoto. 520** for following that one-shot—plus **ankwhat** for commenting on one of them as well as favoriting along with **love-everything67** for following in addition to **Simple-Name-J** for favoriting before **The Alien Lizard King** for following Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Sorry for the delay **Jazz**! I've been _REALLY_ busy with school and college applications! ^^'

I guess so! (:

It depends on who used the Attract though... /:

Aww, how cute! I wonder how those Pikachus are doing now? ^_^

Fine, I'll wait... *sigh*

What a nice shirt! :D

You can sure call me that! ;)

Ah, I remember those days...when I updated Two Worlds Collide and The Merging of Realms almost daily, _ESPECIALLY_ the latter. I don't know what possessed me either, doing all that writing and research for _HOURS_ on end _(NO KIDDING, I WISH)_ per chapter during my sophomore year in high school. I wonder where all that motivation went? I guess senior high _KILLING ME EVEN MORE THAN BEFORE_ and the _SEVERE_ lack of appreciation caused me to become _REALLY _apathetic...lose my drive. ToT

At least I have you! You're the _ONLY_ reason I have yet to give up! Thank you so much for sticking with me! XD

Who wouldn't like him indeed? :3

Great job in finishing off the Dustflier on your own then! J:

Being stuck in an endless cycle of war for 2000 years?! HOW HORRIBLE! DX

Thank you! I'm _REALLY_ glad that you had enjoyed the finale! n_n

Yep. Poor Pikachu... ):

Yeah, since Pikachu can't learn Fake Tears or Baby-Doll Eyes naturally. It would still be nice if your Pikachus could learn those moves! I remember how Ash's Pikachu once used Leer in Hour of the Houndour even though he wouldn't be able to learn that naturally! Ü

That's true you know! Love at first sight indeed! :D

I wonder how many bowls of ramen were eaten on Naruto's birthday? And how much Sasuke had to pay for the bill? ;)

It was a _REALLY_ nice tour! They _SURE_ weren't tired! Luckily, they didn't get lost thanks to Ash and his friends! (:

A girl _SURE_ can! ^_^

You can always try an emulator though! I just hope it wouldn't be too slow! All you would have to do is research how to make it faster...and voilà! :3

Yeah, Sasuke can be _SUCH_ a jerk. I agree; what a hypocite. Naruto thinks so too. Good thing Itachi scolded him indeed! It's because he has yet to soften up; he hasn't spent enough time with Naruto yet. Don't worry! Naruto will work his magic sooner of later! J:

Yep! Full of surprises! Even here Naruto is unpredictable! Nice cheering up the sullen mood! ^o^

Cool! Fire-types are _REALLY_ awesome! I bet you would be a fire-type trainer as well! Nothing can stand in your way with all that blaze and Attract! ;)

No problem! n_n

Yeah, I decided I wanted to try out a Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V fic instead; besides, my OT3 belongs to that fandom! YutoxYuyaxYugo FOREVER! WOO! :D

Yep, I get it! Yaya and Yuya only have the second letter in their names differing! :3

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAISE! I'M SO FLATTERED! I'M SO ECSTATIC THAT YOU LOVE YOUR ONE-SHOT! XD

Oh, I knew about that part; I was originally going to make Nico Smiley watch over the tapes like Lola did and spot Yuto and Yugo touching Yuya when the water and napkin were passed...but I felt that that was out of place by the end. I'm glad you don't mind that I didn't include that part! C:

I'm glad I got you interested in the fandom! ARC-V is one of the best Yu-Gi-Oh! series to date! It deconstructs _A LOT_ of tropes each of the previous series had and so much more! It even has a strong female protagonist, something not seen since Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's! The first few episodes are _REALLY_ slow but once the plot starts moving, it _REALLY_ starts moving! Watch it some time! The writing is _REALLY_ clever and the storyline is _REALLY_ enjoyable! You don't have to worry about filler; each episode contributes in some way either by extending the plot or developing characters. There is _NONE!_ Watch it some time!

Get Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Tag Force Special! It's the most recent one and has characters from each of the series! There are also _A LOT_ more cards to choose from and summoning methods to perform! I _LOVE_ watching the videos online! Sigh, if I only had a PSP...but you do! Download the game!

Thanks **ankwhat**! I _REALLY_ appreciate the compliments! Here it is! ^_^

Unfortunately **Guest**, I don't plan on removing _ANY_ of the romaji in that one-shot since I like how it sounds; it's _MY_ story after all. I _DID_ put translations on the bottom so it's not like I left anyone in the dark. I'm sorry that I annoyed you.

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The lights suddenly flickered once more, drawing everyone's attention back to the matter at hand. Clemont gazed at the electric-types, speaking to all of them. "Let's go supply some power!"_

Ash nodded, agreeing completely as he stood beside his friend. "Yeah! Let's do this!" He turned, facing his companion. "Pikachu, Charge! We need to give it our all!" The rodent unleashed a mighty cry, static cackling around him as he concentrated.

"Raiboruto, Rentorar, Elezard, Reakoiru...Electric Terrain! Charge right afterwards!" He then glanced at some of the other groups. "Dedenne, Charge up right now! Same with everyone who knows Charge too! We need our moves to be as strong as possible!" The boy lastly addressed the outliers. "Koiru, aim Thunder into one of the generators! Reakoiru, join in once you're done! We need to warm the generators up so they don't go haywire from the large influx of electricity to come!" The instructed all obeyed, doing as he said.

Naruto appeared confused. "Why can't he just tell them all to use the same moves all at the same time? Wouldn't the resulting electricity be even more powerful?"

"That's not possible." The questioner stared at Serena as she continued. "Not all Pokémon can use a certain move; some wouldn't be able to learn it naturally."

Bonnie cut in. "That's why onii-chan is telling them all to do different things! In that way, no one gets left out and the job can get done better and faster!"

"Oh! I get it now!" The Uzumaki beamed, Sasuke sighing in seeming annoyance as Itachi smirked.

The mouse had finished storing his strength, ready for action. "Now aim your own Thunder into the generators!" The instructed contracted his limbs, a gigantic quantity of voltage erupting out which struck dead into a nearby machine, the gauges twitching as they were once again beginning to increase. Though not by much; there was not enough...yet.

"Ikuzo minna! We have no time to waste!" The bespectacled shouted as he swept a hand across the room. "Unleash your strongest Thunders! We can't let this problem go on!" Determined shouts echoed across the chamber as the creatures released a mass of wattage, the meters moving at a swift rate as the reserves were filling up substantially.

The younger sister giggled. "Onii-chan _sure_ knows how to do his job!"

"What a great job indeed." The brunet smiled.

Curiosity overtaking them as the creatures worked, the visitors extracted their Zukans, turning them on.

"Raiboruto, the Discharge Pokémon. Raiboruto discharges strong electricity from its mane. The mane is used for collecting electricity in the atmosphere. This Pokémon creates thunderclouds above its head."

"Rentorar, the Gleam Eyes Pokémon. Using the power to see through walls, Rentorar can track down hidden opponents and even locate lost children."

"Elezard, the Generator Pokémon. Elezard produces enough electricity to power a large building and recharges by spreading its frills."

"Koiru, the Magnet Pokémon. Koiru floats in the air by emitting electromagnetic waves from the units at its sides. These waves block gravity. This Pokémon becomes incapable of flight if its internal electrical supply is depleted."

"Reakoiru, the Magnet Pokémon and the evolved form of Koiru. Its heavy gravitational power allows it to float, and it can emit powerful magnetic and electric fields."

The swarthy was stunned as he read the entries, particularly by the last. "Evolution?! Does that mean Reakoiru originated from Koiru after millions of years?!"

"Not _that_ kind of evolution." The youngest giggled.

The caramel filled the clueless in. "Evolution occurs in a Pokémon once it either has achieved a certain level, learned a certain move, been exposed to a certain stone, or met some sort of unusual condition. When that happens, a white glow will envelop the Pokémon and it will rapidly grow until it has reached the size of its evolution, and that's when the light will dissipate to show its next stage. Some Pokémon don't evolve, many evolve only once, and most have two other stages."

"Oh..." The tanned nodded slowly, allowing the information to sink in.

The needles were nearly all the way to the right, the equipment almost at their maximum capacity. "Power down to Thunderbolt now! Now that we have enough, we can't risk overloading the generators!" The beings complied, reducing the amount they were emitting, the dials slowing down as they approached their goal. "Stop!" The Pokémon simultaneously ceased at the operator's command, their work completed at the moment.

Ketchum glanced around. "Are we done?"

"Yes, we are." Clemont affirmed. "Now that our supply is full at the moment, we don't need to provide any more for a while." He faced the creatures. "You all can have a break now; you all did a great job. You all deserve a nice reprieve!"

"Rai!"

"Rar!"

"Zar!"

"Koi!"

"Rea!"

The workers were more than happy to comply, disappearing into another room deeper into the chamber to rest up. Only Pikachu and Dedenne remained, content with being beside their trainers.

Once they had all gone, the elder brother approached the lad. "We are deeply sorry for all the trouble my otouto has caused you all."

"It's fine." The guy waved off. "Naruto-san is right; Sasuke-san didn't mean to harm us!"

Ash nodded. "Yeah! No harm done."

"I forgave him too after Naruto-san's speech! I couldn't stay mad even if I wanted to!" Bonnie beamed.

Serena smiled. "It was a wonderful speech! I can't help but feel inspired by it!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Nne Nne!"

The rodents ran up to the stoic, nuzzling the hem of his jeans.

"...Thanks." The discussed muttered, turning away.

A certain someone placed his hands on his hips, leaning forward in a teasing fashion. "Aww, is Sasuke being shy?"

"Usuratonkachi!" The flustered barked, flushing deeply.

Itachi snickered. "How uncharacteristic of my little brother." Said person crossed his arms, humphing as a good-natured laugh arose from the occupants of the room.

"Is everything alright?!" The vault swung open, Meyer stepping in. "The lights had been flickering for a bit. Did something bad happen?"

The son shook his head. "Everything's alright."

"All the problems have been fixed!" The daughter seconded.

Wanting to make sure for himself, the father inspected the machines, searching for any flaws...only to find none; the equipment was just fine, and the gauges were full. "That's good." The dad conceded. "I was checking the other supply rooms earlier to see if they had any problems since you two," he glanced at his kin, "were here, and I only came here to see if you weren't able to solve what was going on." He grinned. "I'm glad you did though! I'm so proud of you both!"

"Actually...Naruto-san was the one to fix the problem. All I did was tell the Pokémon what to do." The bespectacled corrected.

The man faced the mentioned. "Is that so? What did you do?"

"The Pokémon were a little down but I managed to cheer them up!" The flaxen grinned.

The keeper chuckled. "I thank you for doing that! Seeing as this is the main generating room, the consequences would have been _disastrous_ if the problem went on." He redirected his attention to his children. "I'm still proud regardless; your instructions brought the situation under control." He glimpsed the younger. "And I'm glad you were here for your brother." He made his way back to the exit, throwing a glance back. "Enjoy the rest of your stay here!" And then he was gone, the door slamming right behind him.

"We sure will!" The Uzumaki shouted, cupping his mouth.

Ketchum suddenly stepped up to the trio, scratching his temple. "Umm, I've been meaning to ask...what do 'Usuratonkachi' and 'dobe' even mean?"

"Well, they technically translate to 'Thin Hammer' and 'dead-last'." Clemont pondered, tapping his chin before realization dawned on him, him shooting a glare at the offender. "Hey! Those are supposed to be insults!"

Ash scowled. "That's mean!"

"Yeah!" Bonnie screeched.

Serena crossed her arms. "It's not nice to insult others!"

"Actually...they're not _that_ bad." The four swiveled in shock at the statement, staring at the Uzumaki as he continued. "At first, I was _really_ annoyed...but I guess it's not _as_ bad as it used to be." The speaker then crossed his arms, huffing. "Besides, I can't exactly stop him from calling me those."

Sasuke humphed. "Just like you won't stop calling me 'teme' from time to time." Sclera became wide saucers, the tetrad unable to believe what they were hearing.

"'Insult' isn't the right word though." One could _swear_ that the eyes were about to pop out as the incredulous turned to Itachi who was amused by the situation. "More like...affectionate."

The kids were stunned. "...AFFECTONIATE?!"

"PIKA?!"

"DENNE?!"

It was obvious that the rodents were no better, jaws smashing onto the floor. It seemed as if giant question marks were floating about, permeating the area.

"WHAT?!" Twin shouts of absolute disbelief were directed at the elder...

...whose smirk had not faltered one bit, only widening. The man delighted in the mystery. "You'll see what I mean soon enough."

* * *

The 11th of December

The nine had left the Prisim Tower shortly after bidding their farewells to the electric-types and Meyer, returning to the entrance of the hotel. No matter how much the adult had been prodded, he had refused to disclose the meaning of what he had said, lips sealed tight. Giving up, the children left, waving the three off as the rodents did the same, exchanging their partings. The Uzumaki had discussed the events of the day with the trio as he was being caught up on his school work, Kiba mumbling in disgust about a certain ice prince who needed to be rudely shoved off his high seat as Chōji congratulated the flaxen on his heartfelt speech while Shikamaru just grumbled, the situation simply too troublesome for him. Needless to say, the boy had deeply enjoyed that day, looking forward to the rest of the trip to come with the Uchiha brothers by his side.

A certain one just couldn't get out of his head. Sasuke...why _had_ Naruto defended him so strongly despite having condemned the blond only hours earlier, essentially a hypocrite? The guy truly did not know; he had been swept up in a wave of panic, refusing to allow others to think badly of his friend for even a second longer. Friend? Was that the right word? Was it?

"Dobe."

That single phrase snapped the fulvous out of his reverie, said person shooting a glare at the cause. "What?"

"You've been staring off into space for the past several minutes." The conceited scoffed, crossing his arms.

Itachi rested his chin on steepled fingers. "Is something the matter, Naruto-kun? Feel free to open up to my otouto and me; you don't need to hide it."

"There's nothing wrong." The tawny shrugged. "I was just thinking about stuff."

The listener smiled. "Is that so?" The adult lifted his hand, calling the waitress over as they had finished their breakfast. The three went to the same café as the day before, the same server heading towards them. After paying the bill and leaving a generous tip, the elder stood, the other two following immediately afterwards.

"I'm sure glad no one was staring at us this time!" The swarthy sighed as they had left the establishment, out of earshot.

The man chuckled. "The people here are good-natured; they forgive easily, as long as the person wants to be forgiven."

"I see..." The three rounded a corner, heading deeper into the heart of the city...

...where a certain mouse ran up to them on all fours, stopping before a certain someone. "Pikapi!" The muridae scampered up the stoic's frame, crying out happily as he perched on the raven's shoulder.

"OI!" Four heads turned as the children ran up to them, Ash in the lead. "Hey guys!"

Bonnie giggled. "What's up?"

"How's your day been so far?" Serena asked, smiling.

Clemont was the last to join them, gasping for oxygen. "Slow down...don't run so fast!"

"You're _so_ unfit onii-chan!" The sister teased, crossing her arms in a smug fashion.

The accused narrowed his eyes. "Quiet you!" He then turned to the guests, picking himself up as he had caught his breath. "There's something I've been meaning to ask..." He stood completely upright. "How long are you three staying here?"

"Yeah, how long _are_ you staying?" Ketchum perked up, the females curious as well.

Itachi was the one to speak up. "We will be leaving here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" The tyke groaned. "But that's _way_ too early!"

Sasuke grunted. "That's what nii-san wants."

"But why?!" The youngest screamed, stamping her foot in a petulant fashion.

The brunet joined in, equally upset. "You don't have to leave; there is no place like Lumiose City after all! You could _never_ get bored here!"

"Yeah!" The capped seconded. "Besides, Pikachu will be sad once you go!"

Tears filled the creature's eyes as if on cue, grasping the fabric of the stoic's shirt as tightly as possible. "PIPI!"

"DENNE!" The gerbil cried out as well, streams pouring down its cheeks.

The bespectacled sighed. "We can't just ruin their plans!"

"Shut up!"

"Quiet you!"

"Don't say that!"

The boy face-palmed at the indignant shouts, shaking his head. "It's true though!"

A throat was cleared, drawing the hexad's attention to the source. Itachi's lips were drawn in a tight line. "I have already had our next destination prepared for us." He held up a hand just as the listeners were about to react, continuing. "But I ensure you all that we will visit once we have completed our trip."

"REALLY?!" Hope shone on the children's faces at those words, the rodents shining with anticipation as they waited for the response.

Naruto beamed. "Of course we will! This place is awesome; I could _never_ forget it!" He glanced enthusiastically at his peer. "Right Sasuke?"

"Hn..." The raven grunted, a reluctant tilt of the head given in response.

The kids cheered, pumping their fists. "Alright!"

"Chu!"

"Ne!"

The Uzumaki smiled. "I'm glad we're welcome here, you kno—"

"Says who?"

"Outsiders do not belong!"

Sapphire flames suddenly surrounded the nine as a swarm of malevolent orbs spontaneously popped out of nowhere, spelling a dark aura onto the intended.

"PIKA?!"

"DE?!"

"W-What just happened?!" The swarthy demanded, shocked beyond comprehension; he had never been in a situation like this before after all.

Bonnie clung tightly onto her sibling. "Onii-chan, I'm scared!"

"Me too!" Serena exclaimed, hugging her arms as she shivered.

"What a day this will turn out to be." Itachi sighed.

His brother sneered. "What an understatement."

"We aim to make a beautiful and better world!" Men and women dressed in bright red uniforms descended from their perches on top of buildings as even more ran up from the sides followed by a myriad of creatures, circling the group.

Clemont growled. "They are—"

"Team Flare." Ash finished, face set in a deep scowl.

* * *

Moves used: Charge, Electric Terrain, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Will-O-Wisp, Mean Look

Translation: Pikachu=Pikachu, Raiboruto=Manectric, Rentorar=Luxray, Elezard=Heliolisk, Reakoiru=Magneton, Dedenne=Dedenne, Koiru=Magnemite, onii-chan=big brother, Ikuzo=Let's go, minna=everyone, Zukan=Pokédex, otouto=little brother, Oi=Hey, nii-san=older brother

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice and **beloved of naruto** for favoriting Shinobi no Pokémon plus **hitokori midnight** for commenting on Kalyeserye ToYaGo! as well as favoriting in addition to following it along with **blackrose2255** for favoriting it not forgetting **MissXenonious90** for favoriting before following Into the Darkness of the World, **The Quotable Patella** for favoriting Kalos Action, **jazzythebookworm123** for favoriting sans leaving out following Maybe, Just Maybe... lastly **aidenmaxdavis** for favoriting Two Worlds Collide! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

I'm glad you understand **Jazz**! School and college applications have _REALLY_ been killing me! DX

By the way, Happy Thanksgiving! XD

Yep. /:

That's good! Your Pikachus look _VERY_ well! J:

I don't wear girly things either! I:

Yeah! (:

What multitasking! :O

Thank you so much! ^_^

I agree! The Dustflier is the _ABSOLUTELY WORST_ boss I've _EVER_ fought in _ANY_ game! ToT

What a nice king! C:

You _SURE_ did! :3

Funny indeed! :P

Maan sounds like a _REALLY_ awesome Charizard! :D

I bet Naruto could just _INHALE_ those three bowls! Ü

That's good! I'm glad Maan's Fly came in handy! :1

Lucky! :O

Naruto and you _DEFINITELY_ have similarities! ;)

Yep! (:

I'm _REALLY_ ecstatic that you had enjoyed your one-shot! They're my favorite—and currently only—OT3 while SasuNaru and akuroku are my favorite couples! THEY ARE _SO_ CUTE TOGETHER! J:

That is _DEFINITELY_ Yuya! Dyueru de Egao o! That's Yuya's life mission: to bring smiles! :3

WOO! I'M SO FLATTERED! XD

That _REALLY_ sucks! DX

Okay! I hope your voice gets better! n_n

_I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED! YEAH! _I just want to know when KHIII will come out already! ToT

Is your voice alright now? "?

Yep! Those two _SURE_ are learning! :D

Yeah, they're going to leave. They can't stay for too long; they've got other places to visit after all! :3

You'll see on both accounts! Here it is! ;)

Aww, thanks **hitokori midnight**! I might consider making more once I have the time. I'm not sure if I would include Yuri though; so far, he's kinda been creeping me out. If I do include him, he most likely won't be paired with Yuya but who knows? That could change once I see his hidden depths. Maybe I'll come to like him and change my mind. Thanks for asking though! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Team Flare." Ash finished, face set in a deep scowl._

A man donned in a dark suit outlined by crimson who had scarlet hair wildly fanning from his head stepped up to the front, standing beside a fierce lion bearing hazel fur in addition to tan scuffs about its limbs and was distinguished by the fiery mane in the shape of the kanji for fire framing azure hues, sapphire flames still licking out of its maw. "And I, Lysandre, am the leader of this magnificent movement." He smirked. "Yes, we are of Team Flare." A chuckle escaped from his lips. "You see, we have the goal of eliminating all that do not belong...those who do not meet our standards, chiefly outsiders and those who assist them." He swept his hand around, gesturing to his henchmen. "Each one of us will attest to that."

"Eliminate all who oppose us!" The Will-O-Wisp ceased to relent as it surrounded the nine, preventing any possible movements as the minions along with a few maroon bipedal crocodiles, large yellow cicadas sporting ruby at the tips of their wings, what appeared to be stiff beige husks of the latter in addition to crescent halos floating above their crowns, giant wasps equipped with stingers on their forelegs along with their abdomens, golden foxes that carried nonets of limbs tipped with orange, saffron saurias which bore draconic features, devilish hounds sporting horns all over ebon bodies tinged with red on the bellies and snouts, violet phantoms in the shape of ornate decorations holding ghastly luminescence, vermilion canines possessing onyx stripes beside cream fur, blazing beings wielding cannons circled by five digits each instead of conventional arms, carmine apes completed by burning brows, and fuzzy lepidopteras characterized by a set of three carmine lobes on each of their sides ganging up on their targets as well.

Unable to resist, the foreigners had taken out their Zukans despite the advance, turning them on to identify the myriad of creatures approaching them.

"Kaenjishi, the Royal Pokémon. With fiery breath of more than 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, they viciously threaten any challenger. The females protect the pride's cubs."

"Waruvial, the Intimidation Pokémon. Waruvial can see faraway objects as if through binoculars. Its jaws are strong enough to crush a car."

"Tekkanin, the Ninja Pokémon. Tekkanin moves around at such a high speed that it cannot be seen, even while its crying can be clearly heard. For that reason, this Pokémon was long believed to be invisible."

"Nukenin, the Shed Pokémon. Nukenin possesses a hard, powerful body, giving it strong defenses."

"Subiaa, the Poison Bee Pokémon. Subiaa fly quickly and attack using poison stingers on their forelegs and tail."

"Kyuukon, the Fox Pokémon. Its nine tails are said to be imbued with a mystic power. It can live for a thousand years."

"Lizardon, the Flame Pokémon. Breathing intense, hot flames, it can melt almost anything. Its breath inflicts terrible pain on enemies."

"Herugaa, the Dark Pokémon. The flames it breathes when angry contain toxins. If they cause a burn, it will hurt forever."

"Chandela, the Luring Pokémon. Chandela uses its dancing flames to hypnotize opponents."

"Uindi, the Legendary Pokémon. Uindi runs so smoothly, it appears to be flying and is known for its majestic cry."

"Buubaan, the Blast Pokémon. It launches fireballs that can reach temperatures over three-thousand six-hundred degrees from the ends of its arms and lives in volcanic craters."

"Hihidaruma, the Blazing Pokémon. Its internal fire burns at 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, making enough power that it can destroy a dump truck with one punch."

"Ulgamoth, the Sun Pokémon. A sea of fire engulfs the surroundings of their battles, since they use their six wings to scatter their ember scales."

Ketchum growled. "Like we'll let you!" The boy dug into his pocket, extracting a sphere divided into red and white halves via a black line that curved to encompass an alabaster circle. "Gekkōga, I choose you!" The gadget was tossed into the air, a brilliant flash leaping out as the device opened. Naruto watched in awe as the light had cleared, revealing a cerulean biped characterized by the pearl orbs that covered the joints of its limbs which led to toes webbed through yellow skin that matched the color of its stomach, lower half of its face, and dual protrusions that were connected via azure dermis to a third horn which all grew from its crown close to porcelain spots above lidded ruby eyes and a long tongue that wrapped around its neck.

"Gekkōga, the Ninja Pokémon. Gekkōga's swift movements confound its opponents, and it can compress water into sharp-edged throwing stars."

The frog faced its trainer, awaiting command. "Gekkōga, use Hydro Pump to put out the Will-O-Wisps!" Nodding, the amphibian straightened its palms, shooting a powerful jet of fluid whilst spinning around, the sapphire flames extinguished by the potent blasts of water.

"Don't think you can run away though." Lysandre smirked. "Don't forget that the Waruvials had given you all Mean Looks; none of you can escape."

Naruto snarled. "I'm not afraid of any mean looks!"

"AHH! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" The screech ripped out of Bonnie's throat as she bolted, tears flying out of her eyes as bawls left her mouth only to be thrown back as if struck, landing roughly on her bottom.

Clemont immediately rushed to her side, kneeling down. "Are you okay?!"

"Onii-chan, I'm so scared!" Sobs endlessly wracked the girl's frame as she continued to cry.

The Uzumaki joined the pair in an instant, concern evident in his features. "Daishobu?!"

"Yeah." She nodded, rubbing at her face before swiveling to her sibling. "What just happened?!"

The lad sighed. "That was Mean Look, a normal-type move in which the user gives 'the evil eye', trapping its targets with a vicious glare." He crossed his arms. "You need to be more careful!"

"B-But I was so scared that I forgot what it did!" The child wept, her brother wrapping her up in a hug.

Itachi stared at each of the villains as they had completed a perfect circle around their quarry, expression solemn. "In other words, we cannot leave until either we or they lose."

"That's right." The boss gave a malicious grin. "There's no escape!"

Ash scowled. "Like we'll go down without a fight!" He once again dug into his pocket, extracting four more spheres as the bespectacled took out five and Serena three. "Fiarrow, Luchabull, Numelgon, Onvern...I choose you! Pikachu, join them!"

"Pika!" The mouse leapt off Sasuke's shoulder to be beside his trainer as the discs spilt, a gainsboro falcon dotted with crimson downs along its underside along with the majority of its back and head sporting a stray feather above its razor-sharp beak, a humanoid hawk decorated in maroon pinions upon taloned arms sporting teal plumes that had incarnadine backings which formed a span that resembled a cape below a pointed face of the same coloration save for the two orange tuffs that grew over amber retinas all above a white coat, a drake covered in lilac skin which stretch across its bulky form, twin appendages near antenna above emerald orbs that matched a trinity of orbs beside its lavender belly and muscular tail which dripped goo, and a large onyx bat bearing wide cyan lobes distinguished by the diminishing circles within that were the same in shade as the underside of its clawed limbs sporting thick webs of skin that were purple at the ends like its belly emerging as he landed, static pulsing out of his cheeks.

"Harimaron, Horubī, Raiboruto, Rentorar, Elezard...we need your assistance! Dedenne, help us out!" The gerbil bounded from its perch on its owner's sister, standing beside a small bipedal mammal shrouded in a verdant covering that reached all the way to its tail sporting several spikes which appeared flexible around its head that had three mocha triangles surrounding its face which were the same hue as its arms yet darker than the rest of its tan body ending in feet equipped with long white keratin and a grey rabbit possessing wide sclera above wiry whiskers in addition to giant ears split in brown terciles at the tips similar to its flared collar and hind feet along with the aforementioned triad.

The brunet was the last to toss her own. "Tairenar, Yancham, Iibui...please come on out!" The gadgets snapped open, a golden bipedal kitsune owning large crimson scruffs of hair which stuck out of its ears the same shade as part of its bushy tail sporting a wooden stick which was tied in a pink bow on one side near slender gainsboro legs below the alabaster of its nape and visage, a petite panda cub standing upright with a leaf in its mouth adorning a pair of scarlet sunglasses, and a small mammal that was brown all over which was darker on the undersides of its lobes and its round eyes who had a blunt snout below short peaks of outlying fur above the silky scarf around its neck jumping to the female's aid as they appeared.

"Fiarrow, the Scorching Pokémon. Fiarrow can swoop at incredible speeds when attacking. During intense battles, its wings give off showers of embers as it flies."

"Luchabull, the Wrestling Pokémon. With its wings, it controls its position in the air. It likes to attack from above, a maneuver that is difficult to defend against."

"Numelgon, the Dragon Pokémon. It attacks with retractable horns. It throws a punch that's the equivalent of the force of a hundred pro boxers."

"Onvern, the Sound Wave Pokémon. The ultrasonic waves it emits from its ears can reduce a large boulder to pebbles. It swoops out of the dark to attack."

"Harimaron, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. Harimaron can flex the soft spikes on its head, making them so stiff and sharp, they can even pierce through stone."

"Horubī, the Digging Pokémon. It has ears like shovels. Digging holes strengthens its ears so much that they can sever thick roots effortlessly."

"Tairenar, the Fox Pokémon. Tairenar uses friction to ignite the twig from its tail before a battle."

"Yancham, the Playful Pokémon. It does its level best to glare and pull a scary face, but it can't help grinning if anyone pats its head."

"Iibui, the Evolution Pokémon. Iibui is rarely seen, and can adapt to severe habitats by evolving, changing its capabilities and form."

The minions snarled. "We gave you enough final moments! It's time to finish you all off!"

"Like we'll let you!" Ash yelled. "We won't let you get away with your plans!"

Clemont glared. "Nor will I!" He shouted. "Forcing Pokémon to fight is frowned upon here! How _dare_ you use them for such evil purposes!"

"Forcing Pokémon to fight is frowned upon here?" Lysandre echoed, lips twisted in a smirk. "Then just what are _you_ going to do with _your_ Pokémon? Put on a show?"

"Pika!"

"Gekkō!"

"Fia!"

"Cha!"

"El!"

"On!"

"We aren't forcing them to fight!" Ketchum declared, resolution burning in his eyes.

"Den!"

"Ma!"

"Bī!"

"Rai!"

"Rar!"

"Zar!"

"He's right!" The innovator seconded, just as firm. "Our Pokémon can't stand what you're doing just as we can't!"

"Tai!"

"Yan!"

"Bui!"

"The bond between trainer and Pokémon is what matters!" The caramel screamed, determination evident in her tone. "And the bonds all of us share are stong!"

Bonnie stood back up, regaining her resolve. "We won't let you break them or us! You all will pay!"

"Let's see you try!" The leader chuckled, laughter ringing out amongst the grunts as their pets did the same.

Itachi stepped up to the children. "The three of us can help out; we can command some of your Pokémon and look up their moves on the Zukans."

"That will increase efficiency and allow us to react to any situation faster." Sasuke added in, voice level as he spoke.

Naruto pumped his fist. "We can't just stand there and do nothing!"

"Wakatta!" Ash nodded, the other three sharing his sentiments.

The boss sneered. "Enough chatting! We need to start building the beautiful and better world which will begin with your demise!" He turned to the feline. "Kaenjishi, Hyper Voice! Noble Roar!" The lion bared its fangs, the deafening bellow rendering the victims immobile as they were forced to cover their ears, crying out in unfathomable pain.

"KA!"

"GA!"

"ROW!"

"LU!"

"NU!"

"VER!"

"NNE!"

"HAR!"

"HOR!"

"BOR!"

"REN!"

"ARD!"

"TAR!"

"CHA!"

"II!"

"Drat!" The bespectacled cursed as he struggled to recover. "The combination served to hinder our movements while decreasing our Pokémon's attack and special attack by one each! What a bad start!"

The honcho grinned malevolently. "A bad start makes for a bad end." He glanced at the leo once more. "Fire Blast!"

"Hayaku! Gekkōga, Mat Block!" In the blink of an eye, the frog regained its composure, manifesting a rectangular barrier as its skin became a light brown. The flames were held back by the shields, unable to scorch those within. "Arigato!" The instructor turned back to the rest of his companions. "We don't have long; we need to be on top of our game!"

Bonnie appeared unsure. "But how?! That Kaenjishi hurt everyone really badly!"

"I have a few ideas. One Pokémon should heal everyone while the other negates the penalties. We should also use this time to study the moves." All heads swiveled to the speaker, all staring at said person. "What?!"

Clemont scratched his chin, pensive. "Those are...brilliant!" He beamed. "We need to put the first in motion and fast!"

"Right!" Serena nodded, glimpsing at the Evolution. "Iibui, Aromatherapy!" The creature glowed, a verdant mist emitting from it.

"Got it!" Ash glanced at the amphibian. "Gekkōga, Haze!" The anura inhaled deeply, black smoke leaking from its lips at the exhale as its hue became a pale blue. Both filled the confines of the space, reaching every occupant. Utilizing whatever light that could shine through, the trio studied the entries on their Zukans, amassing information. Once the fogs had cleared, the creatures were revealed to all be back on their feet, relief evident as they stood back up.

"It worked!" Bonnie cheered as she eagerly turned toward the swarthy. "Thanks Naruto-san!"

Itachi smiled. "That was a really smart plan. It solved our problems; we can handle the situation much better now."

"...Great job." A strange flutter passed through the Uzumaki's heart upon hearing those words from a certain someone. Sasuke was _lauding_ him?!

The field suddenly vanished, cutting the conversation short as their attention was snapped back to Team Flare. "We're not finished with you!" The minions snarled as the insects closed in on the group. "Tekkanin, X-Scissor! Nukenin, Bug Bite! Subiaa, Twineedle!"

"Pikachu, counter with Iron Tail and Thunder!" The mouse gave a mighty cry as he leapt into the swarm, zagged appendage hardening into steel as a gigantic quantity of voltage erupted from his frame. Avoiding the jabbing stingers, the rodent smashed his limb into the bees, knocking them back a considerable distance as the wattage shot ahead, electrocuting the cicadas. However, the husks seemed unaffected by both offenses, undeterred in their steady pursuit. "Huh?! But why?!"

The bespectacled pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Those Nukenins' ability is Fushigi na Mamori, which means that only moves that are super effective would be able to deal damage; they are immune to anything else."

"Then what do we do?!" Ketchum exclaimed. "If they can't take damage, then we can't beat them!"

The innovator sighed. "I didn't say _all_, I said only those that aren't super effective." He huffed. "At least they are slow; we have some time."

"Based on the Nukenins' types of bug and ghost...wouldn't flying, rock, ghost, fire, and dark be able to surpass their defenses?" The adult shrugged, the kids snapping up as realization dawned on them.

Serena nodded. "That's right! I'm right on it!" She faced the fennec, pointing at the hovering shells. "Tairenar, Flamethrower!" The fox extracted the stick from its tail, a blaze shooting from the tip. The targets were immediately felled upon being struck by the conflagration, dropping from the sky as swirls replaced their eyes. The brunet stared in awe. "That was a bit _too_ easy."

"Actually, that was to be expected." The girl quirked a brow as Clemont continued. "You see...no matter what, Nukenin has only one HP; once Fushigi na Mamori is avoided, Nukenin is suspectible to just about _anything_."

Lysandre snarled as the unconscious were brought back into their Pokéballs, glaring at those responsible. "Don't think for even one second that we're mere pushovers!" He swept a hand across his entire team. "This has just begun! Kaenjishi, Kyuukon, Lizardon, Herugaa, Chandela, Uindi, Buubaan, Hihidaruma, Ulgamoth...Overheat!

"Waruvial, Fire Fang!"

"Tekkanin, Bug Buzz!"

The six stood their ground. "Like we'll let you!" Ash screamed. "Fiarrow, lead the way with Tailwind along with Brave Blitz! Luchabull, Tailwind as well then Flying Press and Sky Attack!" The tercel shrieked into the heavens as it stirred a powerful gust which spread to all of its allies, its body ignited before being covered in an azure radiance which distorted its image, compounded by a sapphire blaze. The hawk was not a step behind, contributing to the raging gale before soaring high up, an alabaster mixed with crimson aura enveloping it as it shot back down.

"A combination of Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, huh? Not to mention Flying Press and Sky Attack being combined..." Clemont mused before snapping his head back up. "We have no time to waste! We need to use the quadrupled speed those Tailwinds supplied to our advantage!" He glanced at the hedgehog and bunny. "Harimaron, Horubī...Defense Curl followed by Rollout!" The pair contorted into protective balls before speeding ahead, rocketing in wheel-like motions.

Serena was quick to go after. "Iibui, Dig! Yancham, Stone Edge! Tairenar, Psychic on the Stone Edge!" The Evolution punched a hole into the ground as it dove into the soil, the panda materializing a barrage of sharpened rocks which were possessed by a cerulean force that was the same in color as the glow in the wiccan's eyes.

"Elezard, Dig! Raiboruto, Rentorar...Rain Dance! Pikachu, Surf!" The reptile shoveled into the dirt while the mammals howled, the first drops clattering down as thick clouds gathered while a large tide manifested under the rodent's feet, the muridae riding the wave.

Naruto quirked a brow. "Wouldn't their electric-type moves be more powerful though, Sasuke?"

"Hn." The raven grunted. "Although that is true, electric-type moves are not effective in this situation. In this case, it's best to use moves that counteract fire-types." The conceited scoffed. "Hurry up."

The Uzumaki snapped his attention back to the matter at hand, gazing at the creatures under his command. "Numelgon, Muddy Water! Onvern, Water Pulse!" Murky liquid escaped from the Dragon's maw as a sphere of compressed fluids catapulted from the wyvern's, contributing to the offensive.

"Don't leave me out!" Bonnie cried. "Dedenne, Charge then Thunder!" The gerbil contracted, increasing its concentration as it stored power.

The stoic eyed the efforts, turning back to two of the four under his orders. "Raiboruto, Rentorar...Electric Terrain then join Dedenne in Charging and utilizing Thunder!" The twain obeyed, making to be beside their companion as twin bouts of static cackled across the field.

"Arigato Sasuke-san!" The tyke beamed, appreciating the assistance. Once the three had finished amassing energy, they cried out as voltage erupted from their frames.

The barrage accumulated into a single prominent force, colliding into the flames. The burrowers emerged from where they were hidden, smashing into those in the front lines, knocking them away. Most of the foes were held back, their offenses neutralized but not all of them; the crocodiles had managed to remain unscathed from the wattage, significantly angered as they continued to advance. Clemont narrowed his eyes. "Those Waruvial _sure_ are stubborn; even if they can't be harmed by electric-type attacks due to being part ground-type, water-type moves are _still_ effective."

"That's right!" Lysandre laughed. "Didn't I say we weren't going down easily?" The hunters cackled as they persisted in slinking forward, ogling their prey hungrily. "We will rid the world of those who aren't worthy! Waruvial, Earthquake!"

The predators gave toothy grins as they raised a foot each, preparing to stomp them down—"Gekkōga, Low Kick!"—only for a blur to flash by, the reptiles thrown into the air as they were tripped. "Hydro Cannon!" A massive orb of its affinity was created between its palms, the force of the collision knocking the ectotherms roughly into the soil.

"Wow!" The swarthy gaped only for confusion to suddenly settle itself on his features. "Wait, I'm curious...why does Gekkōga's skin keep on changing in color every time it uses a move?"

Ash cut in. "Its ability is Hengen Jizaina; whenever Gekkōga uses a move, its type will change to be that of the move. In that way, Gekkōga will always receive STAB—same-type attack bonus."

"That's right." The adult nodded. "That's why I waited for the perfect opportunity. Since Waruvial weighs over 200 pounds, Low Kick's power is at its max of 120 percent and the addition STAB increased the overall power to 180 percent, making the move all the more devestating." He shrugged. "The Hydro Cannon was simply for insurance."

Serena was in awe. "Wow!"

"What a genius!" Clemont fawned.

Ketchum grinned. "I never thought of it _that_ way before!"

"As expected of nii-san." Sasuke shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Naruto thought otherwise. "Whoa! Itachi is _incredible_; even though he doesn't own any Pokémon, he masters commanding one so well!" He was completely star-struck. "So cool!"

"This isn't anything new though." Was that...jealousy?

"Ha! It seems as though Team Flare isn't all that they made themselves out to be!" Bonnie taunted, tongue sticking out. Their attention was snapped back to the situation at hand, observing the gang's reaction...which seemed a little _too_ smug. Something wasn't right...

A grunt smirked. "Are you sure about that?"

"After all, you have forgotten a _crucial_ piece..." And then they heard it; buzzing reverberated across the space, the wasps adorning white hues hovering above the foreigners.

The conceited glared. "The Subiaa."

"That's right." The leader grinned. "And don't think about trying to swat them; Kaenjishi, Hyper Voice! Noble Roar!" The deafening bellows rang out once again, the agonizing pain rendering the victims fully immobile. "I had them use Focus Energy and with their ability Sniper...not only do critical hits occur more frequently, they become _much_ more deadly."

The bespectacled snarled. "That means the chances of dealing damage has not only increased, but so has the damage itself! Crap!"

"Oh that's right." The malevolence only became much more evident. "Now it's time to say goodbye!" The bees all turned on a specific target, stingers aimed at the tanned. "Subiaa, unleash your deadliest Pin Missiles!"

The kids could only watch on in horror, their Pokémon the same. "NO!"

"NARUTO-SAN!"

"DON'T DO IT!"

"YOU MONSTERS!"

"Too bad." The spikes rained down, the intended trembling in absolute terror as the projectiles came ever closer.

"USURATONKACHI! GET OUT OF THE WAY DOBE!" What had occurred next seemed to pass in a split second that lasted for all eternity.

It seemed as if time went in slow motion as Naruto was pushed out of the way, unimaginable horror filling the boy as he saw who took his place. "SASUKE!" The needles continued to smash into his back long after he collapsed onto the ground, lightning illuminating the still form.

* * *

Moves used: Will-O-Wisp, Mean Look, Hydro Pump, Hyper Voice, Noble Roar, Fire Blast, Mat Block, Aromatherapy, Haze, X-Scissor, Bug Bite, Twineedle, Iron Tail, Thunder, Flamethrower, Overheat, Fire Fang, Bug Buzz, Tailwind, Brave Bird, Flare Blitz, Flying Press, Sky Attack, Defense Curl, Rollout, Dig, Stone Edge, Psychic, Rain Dance, Surf, Muddy Water, Water Pulse, Charge, Earthquake, Low Kick, Hydro Cannon, Focus Energy, Pin Missile

Translation: Kaenjishi=Pyroar, Waruvial=Krookodile, Tekkanin=Ninjask, Nukenin=Shedinja, Subiaa=Beedrill, Kyuukon=Ninetales, Lizardon=Charizard, Herugaa=Houndoom, Chandela=Chandelure, Uindi=Arcanine, Buubaan=Magmortar, Hihidaruma=Darmanitan, Ulgamoth=Volcarona, Gekkōga=Greninja, Onii-chan=Big brother, Daishobu=Are you alright, Fiarrow=Talonflame, Luchabull=Hawlucha, Numelgon=Goodra, Onvern=Noivern, Pikachu=Pikachu, Harimaron=Chespin, Horubī=Bunnelby, Raiboruto=Manectric, Rentorar=Luxray, Elezard=Heliolisk, Dedenne=Dedenne, Tairenar=Braixen, Yancham=Pancham, Iibui=Eevee, Zukan=Pokédex, Wakatta=I understand, Hayaku=Hurry, Arigato=Thank you, Fushigi na Mamori=Wonder Guard, Hengen Jizaina=Protean, nii-san=older brother, Sniper=Sniper

Oh **Jazz**, I need to ask you something _REALLY_ important for the imminent chapters: how do you want me to write them? Unlike with Kingdom Hearts and Pokémon, I'm not familiar with Persona 3 _AT ALL_ so I don't know what to do! What do you want the three to do there? I have to know before I write up those chapters! ToT

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	15. Chapter 15

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter five times in addition to **CrypticRebel** for following plus **AnnaTalsie0025** for commenting in Kalyeserye ToYaGo! as well as favoriting and following it not forgetting **Lala2010** for favoriting A Serendipitous Encounter sans leaving out **Kitsunebii** for favoriting Bijuu and You, **Kelsey Dragomir** for favoriting simultaneously following Jealous? I Think Not... lastly **FirePhoenix342** for favoriting Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks for the information **Jazz**! Now I know what to do! ^_^

Preparing meals for four families sounds _REALLY_ tedious! ^^'

Merry Christmas Eve to you too! :D

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! To celebrate, I decided to update today! As a gift, I made this chapter _EXTRA_ long! XD

That's _DEFINITELY_ true! J:

No problem! Now it's Winter Break for me! FINALLY! SCHOOL WAS _REALLY_ KILLING ME! WOO! XD

Nope! :P

Wow! (:

I appreciate that you know! J:

What a god! Ü

Cool! Maan sounds _ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!_ XD

Yep! :3

Why not both? ;)

Whoa! :O

Yep! Twinbro is my one and only OT3! Your OT3 and OTPs are pretty awesome too! ^_^

That's right! Your and Yuya's missions are the same! n_n

You're welcome! (:

Yeah! It _REALLY, REALLY_ sucks! DX

That's good! :D

You'll see how Sasuke's doing shortly, but he might not be as well as you want him to be. /:

By the way, did you catch the reference to canon last chapter? At the end? There are also some lines from the series in this chapter! I wonder if you can spot them? ;)

Wow! That was quick! :P

Yep! It's skills vs skills right now! ;)

Except it's Team Flare, not Team Magma. It's fine though; their uniforms aren't that different nor are their names! In fact, I probably would have confused the Team Flare grunts for Team Magma if I didn't know about Team Flare beforehand! ^_^

Smart tactic indeed! :D

Same here! :3

You'll see...

Hmm, I'm not so sure if I could do that **AnnaTalsie0025**. You see, I'm not very familiar with Percy Jackson &amp; the Olympians nor do I know those couples very well if at all. Also, you would have needed to participate in a trivia at the end of one of my chaptered stories and get all the questions right in order for me to gift a one-shot to you which there are none open as of now. Sorry about that.

Regardless, I'm glad you liked Kalyeserye ToYaGo! and left a comment! Thank you so much! You made my day! I _REALLY_ appreciate what you did! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_It seemed as if time went in slow motion as Naruto was pushed out of the way, unimaginable horror filling the boy as he saw who took his place. "SASUKE!" The needles continued to smash into his back long after he collapsed onto the ground, lightning illuminating the still form._

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The walls of the nearby buildings appeared to tremble as sickening laughter reverberated off of their surfaces, amplified as the grunts grasped onto their sides as their Pokémon snickered malevolently. Lysandre was at the front, the loudest of them all.

The Uzumaki immediately rushed to the fallen's side, Itachi right beside him as he scooped the raven's limp body into his arms, both dropping onto their knees. "Sasuke! SASUKE!"

"Sasuke! Wake up!" The adult clasped his brother's hands in his own, uncharacteristic panic flooding his normally calm eyes. "You can't give up! Me wo samase!"

The children were not far behind. "Sasuke-san!" The four surrounded the three, their companions forming a protective circle around the trainers as they knelt down, the creatures constantly throwing concerned glances back while guarding them.

"Oi! Daishobu?!" Ash cried out.

Bonnie crossed her arms, glaring at the lad. "Does he _look_ alright?! He looks badly hurt!"

"Oh no! This is serious!" Serena gasped.

Clemont nodded, expression grave. "Those Subiaa had fired multiple rounds of Pin Missile which has a base power of twenty-five per hit, all of them appearing to hit five times—the maximum—each. The Focus Energy had indeed increased the chance of critical hits while Sniper had increased the damage each critical hit had done from 1.5 to 2.25 times the original damage. Not only that, since Pin Missile is a bug-type move, those Subiaa had received STAB—same-type attack bonus—from the Pin Missile, further increasing the damage dealt by fifty percent!" The speaker was out of breath, taking in several gulps of air before continuing his rapid speech. "In other words, the Pin Missile had an overall power of _421.875% per_ Subiaa! This is horrible! Absolutely horrible! TAIHEN!" The bespectacled gasped loudly as he had at last finished, having gone pale as well.

"What a dork!" A female henchman sneered, mocking him. "You didn't need to go on such a long rant about the _basics_, you know!"

A man snickered. "Did you forget that those three are _outsiders_? They don't know anything!"

"Shut up! Onii-chan isn't a dork!" Sadly, the little girl was only ignored as the villains kept on laughing.

"Pika Pika!"

"Nne Nne!"

The rodents sped over on all fours toward the prone figure, going on their hind legs as they approached his head. "Pikpi! Pikpi! PIKPI!" The muridae repeatedly shook the guy's face, even resorting to discharging a weak static through the motionless frame followed shortly by the gerbil.

"Pikachu and Dedenne are trying to wake Sasuke-san up with the voltage from ThunderShock!" The innovator marveled.

Worry clouded the elder brother's features. "I hope it works."

"Sasuke..." Naruto's vision began to blur as he watched the wattage zap through the victim, enduring them as he kept his eyes glued on the person in his arms.

Fingers began to twitch as lids began to flicker, a feeble groan leaving the sable's lips. "Really...You're a burden...all the time." Unfocused eyes began to open, locking on one person. "Look at yourself...Kono Usuratonkachi."

"Why?!" The blond screamed out, appearing shell-shocked. "You protected me..."

The questioned looked up into the sky, watching as the drops fell. "Who...knows..." After several long moments, a small smile crossed his lips. "I hated...you."

"Why?! Why? Why did you protect me...?" His visage contorted in pain, agony ripping through him. "I didn't ask you to!"

The stoic stared off into space. "Who knows...My body moved of its own accord, idiot..."

"_You're_ the idiot!" Tears dripped onto the raven's face. "Baka! Why did you push me out of the way?!"

Itachi tightened his grasp on his sibling's hand. "Don't go to sleep! Fight it! You're an Uchiha!" He began quivering. "I can't lose you too, my precious otouto..."

"Don't give in Sasuke-san!" Ash exclaimed.

Serena began to cry. "Please don't!"

"You just can't!" Bonnie sobbed.

Clemont hurriedly shrugged off his backpack, digging through it. "Please hold on! I'll treat your wounds right now!" He scrummaged through the contents, pulling out a white jar. "Have some of this Revival Herb medicine! It'll heal you completel—"

"Herugaa, Chandela...Shadow Ball! Kaenjishi, Incinerate!" The ebon orbs knocked the container out of the lad's hands before anyone could react, the contents airborne as the lid was forced open mid-air. Not a step behind, the lion pounced, licks of scorching flame escaping from its maw, charring the compound into ashes.

The bespectacled glared at the responsible party. "Why you!"

"Did you forget about us?" Lysandre laughed.

A grunt sneered. "How stupid of them." He shook his head. "Kids these days."

"YOU B—" The form in the Uzumaki's arms began to slacken, snapping his attention back to the one he held. "Don't go!" The streams ceased to stop flowing. "I hated you too, but not anymore. Not for a long time!"

The listener began to close his eyes, light fading. "You...don't die." Naruto's heart shattered into millions of pieces as the body had become limp once again, the pulse fading by the second.

"SASUKE!" No matter how violently the tawny shook him, he did not respond, head simply rolling over as his features relaxed. In any other circumstances, it would have appeared that the boy was emersed in a peaceful sleep...but the obvious injuries belied any notions of peace.

The look that etched itself on Itachi's face would have made even the most strong-willed of people break down into tears. "Otouto! OTOUTO! WAKE UP!"

"No..." Ash clenched his fist, eyes shimmering.

Serena wept. "This can't be!"

"Why?!" Bonnie bawled.

Clemont appeared traumatized. "I can't believe this..."

"PIKPI!"

"DENNE!"

The electric-types kept on shocking the fallen, attempting to restore his consciousness once more...only to fail.

The rest of their Pokémon were not immune either despite most just meeting the guy, mourning for him as well.

"GA!"

"ROW!"

"LU!"

"NU!"

"VER!"

"HAR!"

"HOR!"

"BOR!"

"REN!"

"ARD!"

"TAR!"

"CHA!"

"II!"

Everyone was stricken by what had occurred. Everyone except—

"One down." A murderous glare was shot at the boss as he looked down on the group, smirking evilly as the henchmen and their pets did the same. "Even if we didn't get our original target, this one will be _more_ than enough to compensate."

"Why you..."

Insanity twisted the miscreant's features. "That boy was an Uchiha, am I right?" He grimaced. "Good riddance."

"Yamero."

The padrone sneered. "Uchiha huh? As in one of the world's largest and most powerful magnates?" He snorted. "What a joke."

"Stop."

His lips widened into a sickening grin. "He went down so easily for someone who is supposed to be so powerful!"

"Don't you dare say that about Sasuke!" Itachi barked, glaring murderously at the honcho.

"Damare."

The leader snickered. "Like you have a say in this? You can't even so much as run to safety because of the Waruvials' Mean Looks which are still in play." His expression darkened even further. "By offing a member of one of the most powerful families in the world, Team Flare is one step closer to ruling the planet! That boy was a necessary sacrifice for the better and beautiful world!"

"JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" With a feral scream, Naruto had darted forward, leaving Sasuke in Itachi's hands as he pounced.

The grunts reacted instantly, digging into their pockets. "Like we'll let you! Herugaa, Fire Blast!" The orbs were then thrown, several lights flashing as they opened up. "Nukenin, Phantom Force!" But that did _nothing_ to deter the guy; he simply slid under the scorching flames, dodging them completely before lunging at the hounds, delivering a swift kick to each of their maws. Enraged, the dogs attempted to Bite the boy only to fail, the beasts unleashing another bout of blaze in retaliation. However, the licks never had a chance of grazing Naruto; he merely stepped to the side, snatching one of the dogs by force, the conflagration still shooting out even as the husks returned from their dive into the shadows, immolated by their companion's assault as they reappeared, dropping like flies. He then proceeded to ruthlessly toss the pooch into its kin, rendering them all unconscious as they were knocked back a considerable distance.

Bonnie gasped. "What's gotten into him?! Even with Fushigi na Mamori, those Nukenin didn't even stand a chance! I also can't believe how easily those Herugaa went down either! Even though Rain Dance weakens fire-type moves by half, those Fire Blasts still should have been _really_ powerful!"

"It's as if he's possessed by a demon!" Serena exclaimed, horrified.

Ash gaped. "No way!"

"You can't really blame him though. After what they did to his precious comrade..." Clemont trailed off, solemn.

Itachi nodded in agreement. "He will make them pay for ever hurting Sasuke."

The vengeful next set his sights on the henchmen themselves. "Oh no you don't!" The minions turned to the cicadas, the insects swarming their target immediately. "Tekkanin, Bug Buzz!" The arthropods beated their wings in rapid succession, generating a saffron gale...all for naught; the vindictive advanced as if there was absolutely nothing in his way, a nearly invisible procession of punches more than enough to send them crashing into the ground.

The bespectacled was in a state of awe. "No way! Both bug-types and flying-types _resist_ fighting-types; fighting-types are not effective _at all! _They shouldn't be going down this easily!"

"This shows just how powerful those hits are..." The Uchiha muttered, pensive. His eyes had drifted upward at those words, widening at the sight they took in. "Oh no..."

The wasps had managed to recollect themselves around their quarry, stingers pointed at a sole target. "We won't fail this time!" They closed in even further. "Subiaa, Pin Missile once more! Take him out!" The grunts cackled malevolently. "Join your friend in death!"

"NO!"

"NOT AGAIN!"

"DON'T DO IT!"

The adult appeared stricken. "Naruto-kun..."

However, none of that had happened; the Uzumaki dodged those bullets, effectively evading the needles shot at him, jumping backward. As he landed, an object precariously lying about caught his attention, the boy picking it up.

The brunet's breath lodged in her throat. "That's from Yancham's Stone Edge!"

The item was then thrown, smashing dead into a hornet's head, the victim slumping onto the ground. Lysandre snarled, glaring at the swarm. "Don't just stand there! Shoot him down with Pin Missile!" However, the intended refused to stay still, running about as he gathered up more of the materialized rocks before tossing all of them, each and every one of the pests going down.

"N-No way! What is this kid?!" The grunts began to take several steps back after they had recalled their creatures, fear overtaking them as the remainders did the same. Lightning chose that moment to flash through the sky, illuminating the feral features all the more, eyes seeming to glow blood-red.

"Is he a monster?!"

"A demon?!"

"Look at those markings on his cheeks! He must be a fox demon in the form of a human!"

"Fiend!"

"Beast!"

"Monster!"

"Demon!"

Ketchum clenched his fist. "The nerve of them to say such horrible things!"

"Hypocrites!" The youngest screamed.

The hazel crossed her arms. "They should be talking after what they've done!"

"We can't waste this chance." Everyone turned to Clemont in shock, surprised.

His sister quirked a brow. "Chance? Onii-chan, what are you talking about?"

"I get it." She swiveled to the eldest as he continued. "All of Team Flare is preoccupied by Naruto-kun's outrage at the moment."

The bespectacled slammed a fist onto his palm. "Exactly!" He then reached toward the fallen, pressing his fingers against the neck. "His pulse is still there although it's very weak. We still have a chance to save him! We can't waste any more time!"

"Pika!"

"Nne!"

"Right!" Ash declared. "We have to get back to fighting." The raven was about to stand back up...only for a hand to be placed onto his shoulder.

The blond boy shook his head. "That isn't a very good idea given Naruto-san's...current condition."

"I agree." Itachi nodded. "In Naruto-kun's current state of mind, he might accidentally attack your Pokémon or even us. We must calm him down first before rejoining the battle."

Ketchum appeared uncertain. "...How?"

"By showing him that Sasuke is okay." The adult glanced at the bespectacled. "Right?"

The addressed beamed. "Hai!" He then shrugged off his backpack once again, digging through the contents before extracting a plant which had curled leaves originating from a bent stem along with a pestle and mortar. "I can make some more Revival Herb medicine so Sasuke-san can wake up and be alright!"

"Like we'll let you!" Lysandre exploded. "We won't let you ruin our plans for the better and beautiful world!" The henchmen took a step forward, momentarily forgetting their terror as their pets imitated them, snarling widely. "Kyuukon, Uindi...Flare Blitz!" The canines leapt into action, ignited in sapphire flames as they charged toward the group.

The pairs drew nearer and nearer..."Gekkōga, Spikes! Toxic Spikes!"...just as the frog whirled upward, alabaster and violet projectiles shooting into the terrain below. The duos were pricked by the needles along with being subjected to maroon static, stopped in their tracks as they howled in pain.

"I thought you said we couldn't get back to fighting!" Serena protested.

Itachi slowly nodded. "Although I did indeed say that, that doesn't mean we can't fight back."

"We still need to be able to defend ourselves! All we have to do is keep out of Naruto-san's way!" Clemont seconded. "We need to hold them off until I finish preparing the medicine!"

His sister smiled. "Right!"

"You won't succeed!" The leader screamed as he turned back to the two mammals. "Flare Blitz!"

The girl glimpsed at the panda and vulpine. "Yancham, Stone Edge! Iibui, Protect!" The bear stomped a foot onto the ground, a row of rocks jutting out of the floor. The attackers cried out in agony as they slammed into the jagged barrier, smashing into it a second time as the force field bounced them back.

"We can't let them get close!" Ash declared, Clemont nodding as they shared a glance. "Pikachu, Agility! ExtremeSpeed!"

After exchanging a look with the bespectacled, the adult directed his attention to the striped. "Rentorar, Quick Attack!" The pair darted in opposite directions, brilliant flashes in their wakes.

"Discharge!" Dual webs of electricity cackled across the circle as they swiftly dashed, creating a wall of static which impeded entry.

The boss smirked. "However, that only works against those who can only travel by foot." He gestured to two groups. "That trick won't work on them! Ulgamoth, Quiver Dance! Lizardon, Dragon Dance!" The insects beat their wings rhythmically as the reptiles twisted their forms in a mystical manner, both boosting their strengths. "Quiver Dance increased Ulgamoths' special attack, special defense, and speed by one each while Dragon Dance rose Lizardons' attack and speed by one!"

"Prepare yourselves!" The targets assumed defensive stances at the oldest's command, anticipating further action.

Lysandre grinned malevolently. "Ulgamoth, Fiery Dance! Lizardon, Hone Claws!" The arthropods twirled around, blaze trailing around their bodies as the squamatas crossed their wrists, talons glowing.

"Harimaron, Horubī...Defense Curl then Rollout!" The instructed obeyed their trainer's sister, contracting protectively before whirling wildly, cannoning skyward.

Serena joined the youngest. "Yancham, Stone Edge! Iibui, Dig!" The ursine materialized another barrage of rocks as the Evolution dove into the terrain, a hole left from its action.

"You're not going to stop us!" As if on cue, the projectiles were evaded, the burrower also missing as it had emerged from the ground, hitting nothing. The enemies advanced uninhibited. "Ulgamoth, Heat Wave! Lizardon, Inferno!" A gust of scorching winds combined with purgatorial flames, both rapidly descending toward a certain someone...

Bonnie gasped. "Onii-chan, watch out!"

"Come on...come on!" A fine paste was in place of the plant as the pestle moved against the mortar, Clemont's face scrunched in concentration as he continued to mash it into powder. "Nani?" He glanced up, the sight above him causing him to freeze up in shock. "WHAT THE?!" The dual attacks sliced through the air, aimed straight at the boy. "OH CRA—"

"Gekkōga, Mat Block!" A rectangular shield materialized around the group, halting the offense just before it could land its mark.

The bespectacled was gasped for breath after experiencing that ordeal, panic evident. "Thanks for saving me, Itachi-san."

"Don't mention it." The elder smiled before becoming solemn. "Is the medicine ready yet?"

The addressed nodded. "Almost. We just need a bit more time."

"Time we won't be giving you!" Lysandre sneered. "Try holding _this_ off! Ulgamoth, Overheat! Lizardon, Blast Burn!" A tide of intense temperature surrounded by fire rained down along with a maelstrom of infernal immolation, smashing into the barrier below.

Ash clenched his fist. "At this rate, we'll be hit by both moves!" The electric-types had ceased their running, moving to be beside their trainers, sensing their worry.

"Pika?"

"Rar?"

"Despite being weakened, the impact of both would still be enough to do a lot of damage to us." The bespectacled mused, grim.

The brunet gasped. "No way..."

"Then we won't let them hit." The children turned to the adult as he spoke, their Pokémon doing the same. "In addition to being fire-type, Ulgamoth is bug-type and Lizardon is flying-type, right?" He continued at the nods of confirmation he received. "We just need to counter them."

Serena beamed. "Oh right! In addition to water, Ulgamoth would be weak against flying and rock while Lizardon is weak against electric and rock!"

"_Especially_ rock for both!" Clemont added.

Bonnie pumped her fists. "Alright! We know what to do now!" At that moment, the barrier had dissipated, leaving the quarry wide open.

"We've got you!" The conflagration pressed through, advancing.

The amphibian leapt forward. "Gekkōga, Double Team!" The frog flashed, a myriad of afterimages in its wake, all airborne.

"Destroy all of them!" The commanded redirected their attacks, going after each of the replicas. The duplications had all been dispersed, the original the sole remaining. "Burn it!"

The anura stared determinedly at its enemies, pressing its palms together. "Spin and use Hydro Pump!" The instructed obeyed, the spiraling jet of fluid extinguishing the blazes.

"Not only are fire-type attacks weaker, water-types moves are stronger! No wonder the Overheat and Blast Burn were overpowered!" Ketchum gaped. "Great job Gekkōga!"

The ranidae beamed before seemingly vanishing, reappearing behind the assaulters. "Water Shuriken!" A multitude of stars crafted from liquid were constructed, slamming into the foes' backs, knocking them off balance. "Hydro Cannon!" Leaning forward, the fighter created a massive orb of its element, hurling it at the adversaries, severely weakening them.

"We've got you now!" The bipedal kitsune bounded upward, extracting the twig from its tail. "Tairenar, Shock Wave!" The wiccan waved its wand, an azure wave of volts which moved at a blinding speed jumping out, stunning the reptiles. "Thunder Punch!" Once the fox got close enough, it pulled back a fist, socking the lizards in the face before dropping back down, smirking.

Lysandre snarled. "You'll pay for that!" His eyes seemed to glow red as he growled. "Lizardon, AncientPower!"

"Luchabull, Brick Break! Hi Jump Kick!" The eagle soared toward the glowing stones, karate chopping some in half as the others were smashed into oblivion by a glowing knee. Only dust fell onto the ground, leaving the humanoid completely unharmed.

Serena beamed. "Thanks Ash!"

"No problem!" He smiled back. He then turned to the insects who were hovering about. "Luchabull, Sky Attack!" The wrestler ascended high into the heavens, an ethereal aura surrounding it. He next faced the falcon. "Fiarrow, Acrobatics! Aerial Ace!" Creating a multitude of mirages as it flew, the tercel also zipped ahead, bashing into many of the arthropods.

The boss screamed. "You won't win! Ulgamoth, Wild Charge!" The bugs enveloped themselves in electricity, zooming ahead.

"Oh no you don't! Onvern, Numelgon...Dragon Pulse!" The drakes inhaled deeply, draconic beams shooting out of their mouths, exploding as they made contact with the Suns. "Since dragon-type moves resist electric-types, that stopped those Ulgamoths in their tracks!" He turned back to the peregrine. "Fiarrow, Brave Bird!" The taloned dove sharply, covering itself in an azure radiance which distorted its image.

The crocodiles took a step forward. "Waruvial, Stone Edge!"

"Numelgon, Muddy Water! Aqua Tail!" Murky fluids erupted from the ground as a swirl of liquid blasted out of the hydra's vertebrae, the rocks eroding into nothing. The predators roared, making to retaliate only to be held back by a certain someone...

"Naruto-san!" The Uzumaki had bowled straight into the hunters, wrestling one into the ground. Even as it tried to Crunch his face, the boy did not relent, rolling them over before proceeding to punch the living daylights out of it, knocking it out. The rest were taken care of by a roundhouse kick followed by the flaxen grabbing the nearest's arm, whirling it into the others, them sinking into unconsciousness.

Serena shivered. "He's still out of control!"

"Are you done yet onii-chan?!" Bonnie crossed her arms, getting impatient.

The addressed picked himself up, a new bottle in his hands. "I'm done! We just need to feed it to Sasuke-san!"

"We won't let you!" A grunt roared. "Ulgamoth, Overheat!"

Just before the insects could comply..."Onvern, Air Slash! Hurricane!"...a procession of saws along with a torrential storm shot ahead, catching all of the arthropods within as the discs sliced away. Ash pumped his fist. "Hurricane can't miss in rainy weather so it'll always succeed!" The hawk chose that time to return, zipping downward at an invisible rate. "Now!" The wrestler dove into the vortex followed by the falcon, both crashing into the targets within. The gale finally relented, revealing the victims' motionless forms as they fell toward the earth, swirls in place of eyes.

"You haven't won yet!" Lysandre thundered, gesturing to the airborne reptiles. "Lizardon, Blast Burn!"

Itachi glared at them. "Gekkōga, Hydro Cannon! Smack Down!" The opposing attributes collided, an abundance of steam erupting forth. A myriad of golden orbs were then smashed into the squamatas, causing them to cry out. "Since Smack Down is a rock-type move, Hengen Jizaina made Gekkōga into a rock-type, making the move even more effective." He subsequently shrugged, nonchalant. "Oh, and the Lizardons are now able to be affected by ground-type moves." The kids cheered at that, even more determined than before.

"Harimaron, Horubī...Defense Curl then Rollout once again!" Bonnie cried.

Serena was not a step behind. "Tairenar, Thunder Punch! Yancham, Stone Edge! Iibui, Dig!"

"Rentorar, Raiboruto, Elezard...Electric Terrain then Charge! Dedenne, join them in Charging!" Once the field began cackling with wattage, the four concentrated, storing energy.

The mouse leapt forward. "Pikachu, Charge too then Zap Cannon and Electro Ball!" The muridae accumulated his strength into an array of brilliant orbs coursing with static and yellow spheres surrounding the tip of his tail, firing them. The targets were instantly paralyzed, badly harmed as the combination struck, unable to move. "Charge again!" The amassers continued to focus, becoming more powerful by the second. The pentad then halted, having gathered enough strength.

"Thunder!" The electric-types screamed, unleashing gigantic bolts from the heavens just as the other creatures slammed their own offenses into the squamatas, the combined barrage knocking each and every one of them out.

The children cheered. "Alright!"

"Pika!"

"Gekkō!"

"Fia!"

"Cha!"

"El!"

"On!"

"Den!"

"Ma!"

"Bī!"

"Rai!"

"Rar!"

"Zar!"

"Tai!"

"Yan!"

"Bui!"

"We have no reason to be celebrating right now..." Itachi pointed ahead, the addressed turning their gazes in the direction of his finger.

Naruto was brawling against the Buubaan, taking on all of them. The creatures exchanged hits with their quarry, one actually able to tackle the Uzumaki onto the ground. It seemed as though it was the end, the being pinning him lifting a cannon to his skull as its kin did the same, all preparing to blast an Overheat at point blank...only for the trapped to jam a residual rock from the previous Stone Edges into its arms, preventing anything from leaving. He next delivered a swift kick to the face, splashing a puddle of Muddy Water into the others' eyes, stopping them as well. The vengeful then rushed up to his opponents with debris in hand, unleashing a flurry of enhanced punches as the minerals added strength to each blow, the ailed unable to fight back as they were taken out one by one. The Hihidaruma were next, the enraged leaping onto their backs, whaling them from behind. Even as the apes tried to throw him off, they only failed, unable to shake him off. He then leapt forward, tackling one in the stomach, slamming it into the others behind it. The Overheats were nothing; he simply slid beneath them, kicking another under its belly. Panicked, the orangutans retracted their limbs, their hues changing to a dull grey as they became inactive. However, _nothing_ would deter the vindictive; he charged at the primates, fists out only for a Psychic to stop him in his tracks, freezing him in place...or so they thought. Through sheer will, the furied broke free from the mental clutches, taking the one closest to him in his hold before rotating, throwing his captive into the others. He then proceeded to beat them up as if they were mere punching bags, finishing them off an instant later.

A grunt gasped. "Even after the Hihidaruma had entered Daruma Mode and lifted him with their enhanced psychokinetic powers, how could he overcome them?! Is he truly a fox demon?!"

"Monster!"

"Fiend!"

"Demon!"

"Hayaku onii-chan!" Bonnie pushed her brother, snapping him from his stupor. "Give Sasuke-san the medicine already!"

Clemont rushed toward the fallen, bottle in hand. "Wakatta!" Upon reaching the unconscious, the bespectacled offered the container and a spoon to Itachi. "I believe it's best for you to do the honor." He then reached into his backpack once again, extracting a beige dispenser completed by green glass in the center. "This Full Restore should also help heal Sasuke-san's injuries but it will hurt a bit. However, only the Revival Herb will be able to bring him back to conciousness."

"Arigato." The elder accepted the offerings, opening his sibling's mouth as he took a scoop, feeding it to the afflicted. The man continued to give the boy the treatment, not stopping until it was all gone. The adult then took the device, spraying its contents onto the still form. The scratches and scrapes seemed to vanish as if by magic, gone altogether.

Sasuke came back to life, coughing at the horrid taste in his mouth and wincing at the stinging sensation around his body. Seeming to realize this, the stoic glanced around, meeting eyes with his brother. "Nii-san..."

"You should be thanking Clemont-kun for making the Revival Herb medicine and for letting me use his Full Restore..." The guy smiled as he returned the items, their owner graciously accepting them. "...as well as Ash-kun, Serena-chan, and Bonnie-chan for holding off Team Flare along with their Pokémon."

He glanced at each of them in turn, his lips slightly raised. "Thank you."

"No problem!" Ketchum beamed.

The brunet blushed. "Itachi-san was a great help too!"

"You're welcome!" The youngest giggled.

The bespectacled shrugged. "Glad I could be of service."

"Pika! Pika!"

"Nne! Nne!"

"Ga!"

"Row!"

"Lu!"

"Nu!"

"Ver!"

"Har!"

"Hor!"

"Bor!"

"Ren!"

"Ard!"

"Tar!"

"Cha!"

"Ii!"

The Uchiha suddenly became confused. "Where's dobe?"

"STAY STILL ALREADY!" The sight that beheld the raven shocked him beyond belief; Naruto was rolling around, dodging the nets and bullets shot at him. Even the cannons were no match, not even close to grazing their target. Lysandre looked ready to explode. "YOU EVEN MADE US RESORT TO USING WEAPONS YOU MONSTER!"

The astonished could barely manage to talk. "...What happened?" An uneasiness suddenly descended over the group, the oldest the one to speak.

"After you lost consciousness from all those Pin Missile, we thought you had...died." He could barely force the word out. He sighed, strangely melancholic. "Naruto-kun took it the hardest. Once they began insulting you, he just...snapped." He glanced at the mentioned. "You can see for yourself what's been happening."

A mass of motionless creatures had been left in the vindictive's wake, the grunts too afraid to so much as recall them. The shock had only intensified. "Naruto did all that...because of me?" The silent nod was more than enough to answer his question. "But why? Why would he just lose his sanity like that?"

"Can't you see?" Itachi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Can't you see how much Naruto-kun cares about you?" Those words sent a strong pulse through the boy, unable to breathe.

The conflict had basically devolved into a fistfight. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!" A one-sided fistfight that is. Despite being at least a head taller, the henchmen were losing miserably, falling one after the other. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH HURTING SASUKE!"

"See?" Itachi huffed. "His grief over the loss of you had turned him into...that."

Ash shivered. "He was really kind before."

"But now..." Serena trembled.

Bonnie quivered. "He's just plain scary!"

"I know." Clemont murmured before turning to the stoic. "You've got to fix this!"

The adult nodded. "Seeing that Naruto-kun became this way because of you being hurt, it makes sense that you'll be the one to snap him out of it."

"...Hn." The male stood, the rest getting up with him. He then took a deep breath, cupping his mouth. "OI DOBE! CALM DOWN!"

The addressed froze as if controlled by a remote, slowly turning his head toward the source of the voice. His shaking was clearly visible as he took in his friend's standing form, mouth agape as all malice seeped away. "T-Teme?! Y-You're okay?!"

"How else could I be on my feet by myself." However, the conceited could not hide the smile that crossed his face. "Usuratonkachi, you no longer need to go on a rampage seeing that I'm alive and fine."

The lad's eyes became saucers. "Rampage?!" It was as if he was witnessing for the first time the Pokémon littered on the ground...the people he had beaten up. Horror filled him as the magnitude of what he had done crashed onto him full-force. "I did this?"

"Of course you did demon!" A grunt shouted. "You're a monster!"

A low chuckling could suddenly be heard, increasing to a maniacal volume. "What power! What power this fiend has!" Lysandre nearly doubled over in laughter. "All the more reason to capture him! He could help us create the better and beautiful world!" A net was fired, soaring toward the quarry. As though all the energy had left him, the Uzumaki fell onto his knees, unable to move out of the way.

"DOBE!" Déjà vu. Sasuke had barreled into Naruto, taking him with him as he rolled, the snare missing. The Uchiha laid on top of him, smirking. "You're such a burden."

The offended flushed. "Damare." A spontaneous compulsion hit the boy; what would it be like to lean in...

"Usuratonkachi..." The addressed glanced up, meeting the other's eyes. The speaker turned away, a hint of a blush coating his cheeks. "I didn't know you'd react that way."

He held his companion's gaze, noticing the water dripping from his hair, unable to look away. "Me neither."

"Hey! This isn't over yet!" The pair was snapped back to reality as the remaining minions leered at the group, their pets staring them down. "We still have Pokémon left!"

The children stepped forward, determination radiating off of them. "So do we!"

"We won't let you win!" The boss screamed. "Kyuukon, Uindi...Flare Blitz!"

Three of the kids exchanged a glance, nodding. "Harimaron..."

"Hari!"

"Tairenar..."

"Tai!"

"Gekkōga..."

"Gekkō!"

The instructed stood together, anticipating further command. The trainers shouted, doing so simultaneously.

"Grass Pledge!"

"Fire Pledge!"

"Water Pledge!"

The trio pounded their fists into the ground just as the clouds had cleared away, creating three sets of pillars—which consisted of leaves, flames, and aqua. The columns combined, bursting in a show of sparks that put a spectrum in the sky, muddied the terrain, and set all the enemies ablaze with burning sepals. The bespectacled beamed. "What happened was that the Water and Fire Pledges combined to form a rainbow which doubles the secondary effects of moves that changes stats we initiate, the Water and Grass Pledges polymerized to create marshy ground that cuts our foes' speed by fifty percent, and the Grass and Fire Pledges merged to manifest a conflagration which damages the victims' health by one-eighth of their total every turn for four turns. All of these effects will last for the same amount of time and with the Rain Dance cleared, neither will be disturbed."

"Like we care!" Lysandre leered. "So what if we're a little slower now? The sea of flames won't even affect our Pokémon! That was pointless!" The canines continued to charge, undeterred.

Ash smirked. "Or so you think." He glanced at the frog. "Gekkōga, Hydro Cannon!" The amphibian launched a large orb of its element, halting the pairs in their tracks. "Water Pulse!" Multiple spheres of fluid were fired, ensnaring the duos in giant bubbles, screaming loudly in pain as the vibrations echoed within the space. Upon bursting, the creatures were thrown onto the ground, landing on their feet.

"Ha! That was nothi—what the?!" The ailed were dancing about, stars replacing their scleras. "What happened to them?!"

Clemont laughed. "Water Pulse has a twenty percent chance of causing confusion." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And since the rainbow doubles the chance of our secondary effects happening..."

"The percentage rose to forty percent." The honcho finished, gritting his teeth. "We haven't lost yet! Kaenjishi, Noble Roar! Hyper Voice!"

Ash swept a hand forward. "Not this time! Onvern, Boomburst!" An explosion of sound blasted out of the wyvern's ears, overpowering the opponent's bellow, the lion crying out in agony as it was rendered immobile by the deafening noise for once.

"Don't let them get to you! Echoed Voice!" Enduring the onslaught, the leo raised its head, barking over and over again. The group was forced to cover their ears, the reverberation causing increasing torment as it continued on.

Ketchum forced an eye open. "Luchabull, Flying Press!" The eagle leapt into the air, body straight at it slammed back down, tackling the feline who was stunned by the impact, its assault ceased. The victims breathed a sigh of relief as the chaos relented, able to stand properly once more. However, the boy wasn't done. "Follow up with Hi Jump Kick and Focus Punch!"

"Dodge!" However, the hunter was unable to move away fast enough as a knee was brought to its chin, the resulting sock to the face enough to knock it out.

Sasuke chuckled. "You underestimated the effects of the Pledges; due to the marsh, Kaenjishi wasn't able to avoid those attacks since it was forced into being slower." His lips widened into a grin. "And since those moves were fighting-type, the part normal-type Kaenjishi was rendered unconscious rather easily."

"The Kyuukon and Uindi are still left standing though." A grunt grunted.

A malicious glint entered the stoic's eyes. "Is that so?" He glimpsed down, catching a certain creature's attention. "Pikachu, Surf!" The mouse squeaked in delight, a tide appearing under his feet. The wave then crashed down on the canines, submersing them in water. Once the flood had cleared, all the mammals were lying on the ground, swirls in place of pupils.

"We still have the Chandela!" The ghouls hovered around, proving his point. "Shadow Ball!"

Serena directed her attention to the Evolution. "Iibui, Shadow Ball!" The vulpine formed a violet orb in front of its maw, firing it. Neither collided into each other, striking their creators' opponents instead. However, once the dust had cleared, the quadruped was revealed to be completely unscathed while the phantoms were injured, cringing.

"But how?!" The honcho exclaimed, baffled.

The brunet smiled. "Normal-types like Iibui are immune to ghost-type moves while ghost-types like Chandela are weak against other ghost types."

"Why you..." He whipped his head toward another. "Chandela, Inferno!"

The bipedal fox suddenly appeared from behind, grabbing its form. "Tairenar, Foul Play!" The victim was then tossed into one of its kin, both knocked out. The girl giggled. "Using the target's own strength against itself; that's what Foul Play is!"

"Foul Play uses the target's attack instead of the user's..." Clemont beamed. "That's genius!"

She grinned. "That's not all!" She faced the panda. "Yancham, Stone Edge!" A barrage of rocks were thrown, pelting the targets. "Now Dark Pulse!" An ebon wave of energy shot ahead, stunning the wraiths.

"Oh yeah?" A minion challenged. "Chandela, Overheat!" However, nothing happened. "Overheat!" Still nothing. "OVERHEAT I SAID!"

The female shrugged. "Dark Pulse has a twenty percent chance of causing the opponent to flinch and with the rainbow..."

"It also increased to forty percent." The henchman snarled.

The bespectacled laughed. "Exactly! Now it's my turn!" He stepped forward. "Harimaron, Horubī...Defense Curl then Rollout!" Unable to do anything, the apparitions were bowled over, several knocked out.

"Do you think you will beat us?" Lysandre sneered. "No matter how many weaklings you throw our way, you won't ever win against us!"

Bonnie glared. "Never win?! We've been beating _you_, not the other way around! And our Pokémon are _very_ strong, not weak at all! Unlike yours, none of ours have been made unable to battle!"

"That's right!" Her brother interjected, pumping a fist. "Don't underestimate the bonds between trainer and Pokémon!" He opened his hand, revealing a vivacious crystal bearing an obsidian helix in the middle in his palm.

His sister gasped. "That's—"

"The Key Stone for Raiborutonite." He nodded before facing the mentioned, clutching onto the orb. "Raiboruto, Mega Evolve!" A sudden change came over the canine as an alabaster aura took hold of it, shrouded in a brilliant light. It changed shape, becoming larger. Once the glow dissipated, a different creature emerged; the mane had become more of a yellow color and extended past its back, forming the shape of a lightning bolt as its flanks became blue, its claws darkening into crimson.

Naruto gaped. "Was that evolution?!"

"Not exactly." The confused faced the innovator as he continued. "That was Mega Evolution, something altogether different. Mega Evolution can occur when the bond between trainer and Pokémon is at its max. A Pokémon at its final stage can then use the appropriate Mega Stone in tandem with its accompanying Key Stone to execute Mega Evolution; that is a Pokémon's _ultimate_ form." He smiled. "Raiboruto became Mega Raiboruto."

The Uzumaki nodded, in awe. "Whoa..."

"Mega Evolution also changes a Pokémon's ability." The group watched as a fearful glint entered the ghosts' eyes, shrinking away even further. "Mega Raiboruto's ability is Ikaku, which lowers the opponents' attack by one each. This will make their moves that deal damage slightly weaker."

The leader scoffed. "So what if your Raiboruto Mega Evolved? It's _still_ weak."

"How stupid is everyone from Team Flare?!" The tyke screeched.

Clemont narrowed his eyes. "Raiboruto is strong and upon Mega Evolving, it became even stronger!" He faced the mentioned. "Show them all your power! Electric Terrain! Charge then Thunder!"

"Like we'll let you!" A minion jeered. The ghouls had recovered, the woman smirking. "Perfect. Chandela, Overheat!"

However, right before the beams could blast out..."Dedenne, Fling!"...a bunch of residual Stone Edge were thrown at the phantoms, diverting their attention to the little girl who stuck her tongue out, making fun of them. "Nana-na-na-bo-bo! You can't get me!"

"Bonnie!" The big brother gasped out in shock. "What are you doing?!"

She winked. "Trust me onii-chan." She then returned to her taunting. "What, are you _scared?_"

"Denne-ne-ne-ne-ne! Dennene!" The gerbil joined in, slapping its behind in a mocking gesture.

One could _swear_ a fuse was about to blow. "The nerve of that brat!" The apparitions all turned to the cherub, forgetting about her sibling. "Teach this spoiled girl a lesson! Chandela, Overheat!"

"Hehe!" She giggled. "Elezard, Dark Pulse! Horubī, Stone Edge! Harimaron, Night Slash!" An ebon wave of energy shot forward, combining with the sharp rocks while they all surrounded the hedgehog as its claws became violet, bashing into the wraiths before they could even fire.

The boss growled. "Why you—"

"Thunder!" A piercing howl split the air, a gigantic bolt of lightning crashing down, electrocuting the targets.

A minion snarled as he glared at the youngest. "So _that_ was your goal."

"Yep!" She blew another raspberry.

A grunt glowered threateningly at her. "You little bi—"

"Don't you _dare_ say anything like that about my imouto!" The bespectacled screamed, a terrifying tone coloring his voice. "Mega Raiboruto, Rentorar...Crunch!" The mammals pounced, applying enough pressure to smash concrete into their bites, causing many of the ghosts to see black.

Ash stepped in. "Yeah! Don't say anything like that about my friends!" His Pokémon were right beside him, just as determined. "Pikachu, Surf! Gekkōga, Night Slash followed by Water Shuriken and Hydro Cannon! Fiarrow, Thief! Luchabull, Payback! Numelgon, Muddy Water and Aqua Tail! Onvern, Dark Pulse!" The mouse manifested a tidal wave as the frog created a magenta blade from its palm, forming stars from liquid which circled a large orb of the creator's primary element. The falcon then snatched a few ghosts in its talons, an onyx wave spreading from the hawk as a murky river and a spiral of fluid swirled around the Dragon's tail, a sable procession of rings flying from the wyvern's jaw. An adornment attempted to struggle out of the tercel's hold, glowing a fierce red.

"Ha! Honō Karada has been activated, so Fiarrow is now burned!" Lysandre laughed.

Ketchum snickered. "Too bad Fiarrow is also part fire-type, which makes it immune to burns."

"NANI?!" The onslaught continued undeterred, each of their moves colliding into the Chandela, a grand explosion ensuing. Once the dust had cleared, it was revealed that all of the ghouls had been rendered unconscious, none of the villains' pets left standing.

The ominous aura that had been smothering the imprisoned then vanished, freeing them from the curse. "The Mean Looks have been removed." Sasuke smirked, arms crossed.

"That means we aren't trapped anymore!" Naruto declared, hands on his hips.

Itachi smiled in a foreboding manner. "I will do whatever is within my power as an Uchiha to make sure that all of you from Team Flare are placed behind bars, unable to create a 'better and beautiful world' _any time_ within the foreseeable future."

The gang stepped back. "We won't let you take us—" All of the heroes' Pokémon took a menacing step forward, their trainers doing the same. The residual blaze across the terrain suddenly acted up, sealing off any possible escape routes.

"We won't let you get away!" Ash screamed. "The sea of flames will prevent you from fleeing!" He narrowed his eyes. "Not so pointless after all, huh?" The fear in the ensnared's features was more than enough to attest to that statement.

Serena glared. "After what you did to us—"

"—we'll never forgive you!" Bonnie finished, expression mocking.

Clemont nodded. "That's right!"

Lysandre glowered. "You might have won this battle, but we will win the war." He gave a maniacal grin. "We're not the only members of Team Flare. The quest to create the better and beautiful world shall continue! There are more of us—"

"All taken care of." A woman in an azure uniform along with a white shirt and gloves who had teal hair tied in a ponytail and brown eyes popped into the scene, several other men behind her, circling the miscreants. "Officer Jenny reporting for duty." She saluted.

The youngest pouted. "Where were you earlier?!"

"Gomen." The bailiff offered an apologetic smile. "There have been attacks from other members of Team Flare all over Lumiose City; we had to take care of those. Sorry."

Ketchum shrugged. "Ah, it's fine!"

"Everything worked out for the best!" Serena reassured.

Clemont followed. "Besides, having to stop attacks around the city is a _very_ important task! It takes priority over only one spot!"

"That's true..." His sibling conceded, reluctantly agreeing.

The police turned back to the malignants, expressions stern. "You all are under arrest for attacking innocent civilians, damaging the city, and trying to take over the world." A multitude of Raiboruto jumped into the scene, snarling wildly at the malevolents.

"Why you!" However, there was no escape; the crooks were completely and totally surrounded. With none of their weapons recovered and the armed officers staring them down, they had no choice but to comply.

As Team Flare was being led away in handcuffs and their beasts stashed away, the trainers turned to their Pokémon, beaming brightly as everything became normal. "Great job all of you!" The capped took out five orbs from his pocket and enlarged them, shooting crimson beams at all but one, the affected vanishing into the devices as Pikachu bounded up to his partner's shoulder, crying out in joy.

"You all deserve a good rest!" The innovator's creatures grinned, the altered reverting. He then did the same, Dedenne returning to the tyke's bag.

Serena giggled. "I'm so proud of all of you!" Her companions had been placed back in as well, none of hers remaining out.

"Wait, what happened to Mega Raiboruto?!" The Uzumaki was perplexed at what he saw. "Why did it change back to the way it was?!"

The bespectacled hummed. "Mega Evolutions are not permanent. After a battle, a Mega Pokémon will devolve to its previous state."

"Oh..." Another thought flashed into the flaxen's mind, the boy even more confused than before. "Wait! What's up with those things that shrink and expand?!"

Ash shrugged. "They're called Pokéballs. They're just contraptions that're used to store your Pokémon."

"Right." Naruto's eyes then bulged. "Wait?! What do you mean by 'store'?! Are there any Pokéballs in larger sizes?" The explainer shook his head. "Then _how_?!"

Clemont joined in. "The gadget works by shooting a capture beam in the form of a red laser onto the Pokémon it belongs to and transforms them into data that can be saved in its software. Because of that, _any_ Pokémon, no matter its size, can be kept inside a Pokéball. When it's opened, a brilliant light escapes from the activated device, converting it back into its physical form as it's released. In order to even _catch_ a Pokémon and make it yours, you would have to touch it with a Pokéball either when you knocked it out, weakened it to the point it can't resist, or it allows you to capture it willingly. When that happens, a scarlet glow will encompass the target as it is absorbed into the orb, causing the button to pulsate as the entire machine twitches. If the operation is a success, the knob will cease the glow in a show of sparks. If it's a failure, then the sections will pry open and the Pokémon will jump out in a bright radiance. However, Pokéballs only work when there's ample electricity to operate them and will only catch Pokémon and their held items; it doesn't work on people."

"Okay..." The blond still didn't get it. Regardless, another curiosity popped into his brain. "I've been wondering...how can both Tekkanin and Gekkōga be 'Ninja Pokémon'?! Did the Zukan make a mistake?! They look _nothing_ alike!"

The innovator tapped a finger to his chin. "Remember that Pokémon are named after defining characteristics that aren't necessarily specific unlike animals. Both Tekkanin and Gekkōga move at swift speeds and strike with the precision of a ninja hence both are 'Ninja Pokémon'."

"Oh! I get it now!" The swarthy slammed a fist onto his palm, beaming. He frowned as he heard a sigh, glowering at the source. "Teme!"

The conceited shook his head. "Once a dobe, always a dobe."

"Once a teme, always a teme!" The offended parroted, both glaring at each other.

Jenny approached the group once more, breaking up their argument. "Thank you all for what you have done. Lumiose City will never forget your heroic actions."

"Happy to be of service." The humans bowed as the rodents did the same, showing respect. Returning the gesture, the officer smiled before turning, walking away. She then waved a hand, her squad following her.

Once the police had left, Naruto turned back to his peer, a question in his eyes. "Hey teme?"

"Nani?" The addressed quirked a brow.

The asker hesitated to voice his query, but managed to anyways. "Why did you save me back there? Why did you risk your life to save mine?"

"...Not saying." The onyx turned away.

The blond grinned. "Ha! So you _do_ know!"

"Usuratonkachi..." However, the threat was completely ignored.

The rest were watching the quarrel from the sidelines, unsure of what to do. Itachi sighed. "Leave them to themselves." A fond smile ghosted his lips. The children and the creatures exchanged a glance, shrugging as they left the matter alone.

Sasuke couldn't shut down the thought in time as it resurfaced into his mind, the words echoing just as clearly as they did then. 'I have to make it!'

* * *

Moves used: ThunderShock, Shadow Ball, Incinerate, Fire Blast, Phantom Force, Bite, Bug Buzz, Pin Missile, Flare Blitz, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Stone Edge, Protect, Agility, ExtremeSpeed, Quick Attack, Discharge, Quiver Dance, Dragon Dance, Fiery Dance, Hone Claws, Defense Curl, Rollout, Dig, Heat Wave, Inferno, Mat Block, Overheat, Blast Burn, Double Team, Hydro Pump, Water Shuriken, Hydro Cannon, Shock Wave, Thunder Punch, AncientPower, Brick Break, Hi Jump Kick, Sky Attack, Acrobatics, Aerial Ace, Wild Charge, Dragon Pulse, Brave Bird, Muddy Water, Aqua Tail, Crunch, Air Slash, Hurricane, Smack Down, Electric Terrain, Charge, Zap Cannon, Electro Ball, Thunder, Psychic, Grass Pledge, Fire Pledge, Water Pledge, Water Pulse, Hyper Voice, Noble Roar, Boomburst, Echoed Voice, Flying Press, Surf, Foul Play, Dark Pulse, Fling, Night Slash, Thief, Payback

Translation: Me wo samase=Wake up, Oi=Hey, Daishobu=Are you alright, Subiaa=Beedrill, Sniper=Sniper, Taihen=Terrible, Onii-chan=Big brother, Pikachu=Pikachu, Dedenne=Dedenne, Kono=This, Baka=Idiot, otouto=little brother, Herugaa=Houndoom, Chandela=Chandelure, Kaenjishi=Pyroar, Yamero=Stop, Damare=Shut up, Waruvial=Krookodile, Nukenin=Shedinja, Fushigi na Mamori=Wonder Guard, Tekkanin=Ninjask, Yancham=Pancham, Hai=Yes, Kyuukon=Ninetales, Uindi=Arcanine, Gekkōga=Greninja, Iibui=Eevee, Rentorar=Luxray, Ulgamoth=Volcarona, Lizardon=Charizard, Harimaron=Chespin, Horubī=Bunnelby, Nani=What, Tairenar=Braixen, Luchabull=Hawlucha, Fiarrow=Talonflame, Onvern=Noivern, Numelgon=Goodra, Hengen Jizaina=Protean, Raiboruto=Manectric, Elezard=Heliolisk, Buubaan=Magmortar, Hihidaruma=Darmanitan, Daruma Mode=Zen Mode, Hayaku=Hurry, Wakatta=I understand, Arigato=Thank you, Nii-san=Older brother, Raiborutonite=Manectite, Mega Raiboruto=Mega Manectric, Ikaku=Intimidate, imouto=little sister, Honō Karada=Flame Body, Gomen=Sorry, Zukan=Pokédex

OH MY GOD! This chapter was 9296 words! This could have been separated into _FOUR_ chapters no problem! I know I had decided to make this chapter longer than the others for the occasion, but OH MY— *faints*

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	16. Chapter 16

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice plus **CrypticRebel** for commenting on it as well as favoriting not forgetting **clair hufar** for favoriting in addition to **FakeDoNico** for favoriting Love Will Never Die along with **Eren Heichou**, **klevinsaclauso yahoo. com** and **cariangelus** for favoriting Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **Jazz**! (:

Happy New Year's! WOO! To celebrate, I decided to post a chapter today! XD

I agree! Good thing! :D

No problem! ^_^

Yeah! *pops even more confetti*

You sure would! :3

Yep! C:

Who knows how different our lives would be... /:

Awesome indeed! XD

Actually, I wasn't referring to Pokémon canon...I was referring to Naruto canon. Sasuke pushing Naruto out of the way of the Subiaa and getting shot instead was supposed to represent the time in which Sasuke pushed Naruto out of the way just as Haku was about to attack him in the Land of Waves near the beginning of the series and being stabbed with many senbon in Naruto's place. Sasuke was in Naruto's arms like in canon, Naruto demanded why Sasuke protected him like in canon, Naruto thought Sasuke died like in canon, and Naruto went crazed with grief like in canon. All the dialogue in between and including "Really...You're a burden...all the time." and "Who knows...My body moved of its own accord, idiot..." as well as the line "You...don't die." were taken directly out of the subbed version of Naruto episode sixteen while the final line of the previous chapter 'I have to make it!' came from the subbed version of Naruto Shippuden episode 216 because I remembered that from there and didn't want to go back to Naruto episode sixteen. I know there are some _DRASTIC_ differences between what happened in the series and what I wrote last chapter—besides taking place in different settings and with different people—but that was the canon reference I was talking about.

I also made _A LOT_ of edits to the previous chapter so it looks _MUCH_ better now! Feel free to check them out if you want to! n_n

Sadly, you're right; Sasuke would have been dead. ):

That's fine! Team Magma and Team Flare don't even look _THAT_ different from each other! (:

You know, you were right; Team Flare _DID_ make Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi stay longer in Lumiose City—at least chapter-wise! :O

See you there! ;)

Nice to see your review! J:

Good thing for Clemont to do that indeed! :D

Hmm...I guess you could call it that. Of course, Tailed Beast Mode cannot exist in this story since the shinobi are not shinobi but are normal people in this fic. It's more like Naruto losing himself in his grief of losing Sasuke and lost his mind...kind of how Naruto did in canon after he thought Sasuke had died when he activated Kurama's powers for the first time and shattered those supposedly indestructible ice mirrors Haku had created. But yeah, I see what you mean; Naruto _REALLY_ acted like a beast! O.O

I agree! What tough cookies :D

Yep! What a good thing! ^^'

You'll see what those lines mean soon enough! ;)

I'll try my best in the Persona 3 fandom! I'm not familiar with it after all! I:

I guess, but I won't do _TOO_ much since I want to enjoy my break! /:

Maybe? I'm not sure... "?

Thanks for telling me about it though! (:

I'm glad you found the previous chapter interesting **CrypticRebel**! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Pokémon. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Sasuke couldn't shut down the thought in time as it resurfaced into his mind, the words echoing just as clearly as they did then. 'I have to make it!'_

* * *

"Here you go! Your Pokémon are all better now!"

After leaving the area where they had fought Team Flare at, the group found themselves in front of the arched glass doors belonging to a shingled two-story building made out of steel which bore a hemispherical crimson roof above a giant 'P' divided into red and white by a horizontal black line that was secured into saffron beams. The trio had been told that it was a 'Pokémon Center', a place which tends to regulatory services for trainers. They then stepped in, met by a woman who had rosette bangs parted at her left eye along with pigtails that were styled into twin loops and wore an alabaster dress—with a pocket located near the hem—outlined with pink in addition to stockings the same as the former and shoes the same as the latter beside a huge round rabbit clad in lilac fur extended to its long pointed ears, curly lock of hair above large teal orbs, and stunted limbs before blending into white at its belly standing behind a counter. The kids subsequently gave the two their Pokéballs which were placed on a cart, Pikachu and Dedenne climbing onto it as it was wheeled away. After half an hour, the pair returned, their cargo with them.

"Arigato Nurse Joy! Pukurin!" The children thanked as they retrieved their gadgets, the rodents returning to Ash's shoulder and Bonnie's bag respectively.

The woman smiled back. "No problem! Have a nice day!" She switched her gaze to the foreigners, beaming brightly. "I hope you have enjoyed your stay here!"

"I sure have!" Naruto cried, grinning.

The stoic shrugged. "I guess."

"Thank you very much." Itachi bowed, the lady returning the gesture.

The bunch then turned to leave. The bunny called out, cupping its hands around its mouth. "Puku!"

The electric types waved back. "Pikapi!"

"Dennene!"

"Bye!" The visitors stepped out of the establishment, walking away.

Clemont hummed. "Even though none of our Pokémon were knocked out, it was still best to have them healed; they must have been _exhausted_ from all that battling."

"I agree." Serena nodded.

The youngest giggled. "That's my onii-chan!"

"Sure is!" Ketchum seconded.

The bespectacled began blushing, embarrassed due to all the praise he was getting. "It's not a big deal! Anyone would have thought of that!"

"Don't be like that." The boy focused his attention on the adult as he spoke. "You need to give yourself some more credit. You saved my otouto from certain death with that Revival Herb medicine and Full Restore." He smiled. "I am eternally grateful to you."

The Uzumaki joined in. "Yeah! I don't know what I would have done if Sasuke actually died!"

"You went crazy at the mere thought of it. Literally." The mentioned grunted, paying no heed to the glare shot at him before turning to the innovator. "...Thank you."

"Uh...no problem!" The flustered rubbed the back of his neck, still nervous.

The little sister smirked. "Onii-chan isn't _always_ like this!"

"Bonnie, stop—"

The commanded all but ignored her brother as she continued, mischievous. "Onii-chan gets _all_ proud and mighty when he shows off his inventions!"

"Stop alread—"

Several brows were raised, genuinely curious. "Inventions?"

"Yep!" The girl placed her hands on her hips. "Onii-chan is an inventor!"

The discussed sighed dramatically, slumping over. "Oh I give up..." He regained his composure, facing the three. "Yeah, I invent all sorts of stuff in my free time."

"Most of them explode though!" The female shrieked, crossing her arms.

Her sibling narrowed his eyes. "Hey, some of them work! In fact, that Find-Whoever-You-Want-O-Meter actually helped us locate Ash after he ran off before it blew up!"

"That satellite dish you had?" The boy nodded at the man's question.

The lass pouted. "The names you have for your inventions are the _worst_ onii-chan!"

"You can think of the names when _you_ invent some!" The tyke had no response to that.

The brunet frowned. "Calm down you two!"

"Your inventions are still great you know!" Ash placated, hands in front of himself.

The elder laughed at the quarreling before suddenly stopping in his tracks, drawing all attention to himself. "We have to part ways for the day; since today's a Wednesday, Sasuke and Naruto-kun will have to get caught up on all the work they have missed out on today at their school. I also have to file some paperwork ensuring Team Flare's incarceration amongst other matters."

"Aww man!" The youngest whined. "Stupid Team Flare! They wasted all the time we could have spent together!"

Itachi chuckled. "It wasn't that bad though."

"Aside from me almost being killed of course." The conceited scoffed.

Naruto became melancholic. "Protecting me..."

"I didn't mean that; I wish to never live through _anything_ like that ever again." The eldest cut in, completely serious. "We had an experience we would never have had elsewhere."

The stoic humphed. "Of course."

"Orokana otouto..." The adult sighed. "This experience has taught us how important those we hold dear are to us, and how they would affect us. You saw for yourself how Naruto-kun reacted, right?"

The raven was stunned. "...Nii-san."

"As horrible as it was seeing you almost die, it shows how we can't take people for granted, does it not?" The oldest stared into his brother's eyes, capturing them in his own gaze.

The addressed reluctantly nodded. "...I guess."

"But Sasuke didn't take me for granted!" The man deferred to the blond as he continued. "He risked his life to save mine! I can't express how grateful I am for that!"

The eldest's features softened. "I'm glad." He smiled. "Neither of you will take the other for granted anymore, correct?"

"Hai!"

"...Un."

Ketchum chose that moment to cut in. "That's why you said it wasn't that bad, right Itachi-san?"

"Yes."

Clemont nodded. "They say 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' for a reason; now I know. I'm glad I didn't have to go through it though." He held his sister close to him. "I don't know what I would have done if Bonnie was the one who almost died."

"Onii-chan..." Tears began leaking out. "Same here!"

Serena sniffled. "I don't want to lose anyone important to me! Watching Sasuke-san almost die broke my heart!"

"Same here..." Ash glanced at the mouse. "I don't want anything bad happening to my buddy or anyone else who matters to me. Having experiencing it first-hand is much worse than hearing about it could _ever_ be."

Naruto suddenly laughed, drawing all attention to himself as he beamed brightly. "We can't have our last day here be all gloomy! If there was anything fun about today, it was being able to command such wonderful Pokémon along with their trainers! I wouldn't have been able to experience that anywhere else!"

"That's true." Itachi shrugged, chuckling.

Sasuke grunted. "That was the better part of earlier."

"Thanks!" The capped smiled, his companion crying out in joy. "Pikachu was glad to fight alongside you too!"

"Pikpi!"

The gerbil popped its head out. "Dennene!"

"Dedenne thinks so as well!" Bonnie grinned, holding the jird in her hands.

Serena giggled. "No problem!"

"That was a nice experience indeed." Clemont agreed. "Watching those strategies you three came up with was incredible!"

The swarthy snickered. "This day wasn't so horrible after all!" He turned toward a certain someone. "Especially since teme was okay at the end."

"Dobe." The sable scoffed. The spectators watched as the pair dove into a heated argument, exchanging insult after insult. They knew not to butt in; none of them would be heard.

As the name-calling continued, Itachi couldn't help but smile. "Never take those you hold dear for granted; you'll never find anyone else like them. Those two are the prime example of that."

* * *

The 12th of December

"Are you _sure_ you guys have to leave right now?!"

The events that took place had been wild to say the least. Neither had been subjected to being surrounded by megalomaniac psychopaths dead-set on killing them just for existing after all. What a day indeed. However, when the flaxen had told his friends about the incident, their reaction had been unexpected. They were shocked beyond belief alright. And they were outraged. But what the Uzumaki _hadn't_ expected was their reaction to a certain someone's actions. Kiba had wondered what the insufferable prick was on to do such a thing, being so uncharacteristic of the duck-butt jerk. Chōji was simply shocked while Shikamaru sighed, mumbling how even the ice prince could be unpredictable. None of them could fathom why he did what he did though. The blond was even more lost than before, even the genius unable to figure out why. How troublesome...

Itachi nodded to the children. "I'm sad to say we must." The kids had met the three outside of their hotel, having left once the quarreling had finally ended the day before. The travelers had already packed their bags, having had breakfast in the café inside the edifice.

"But we'll visit, remember?" The tawny reassured. The upset immediately brightened at that, no longer sad.

The oldest followed. "I'm glad we went here. I hope the rest of our trip will be just as wonderful."

"...Hn." The stoic mumbled.

The man smirked. "Orokana otouto..." His features then softened as he turned back to the bairns. "Let's exchange information. It will come in handy for communicating with each other."

"All right!" They did just that, sharing their contacts amongst themselves.

The stoic narrowed his eyes. "Don't give this information to just anyone. That could be dangerous."

"Wakatta!" The addressed saluted, establishing the promise. The fulvous suddenly guffawed, all eyes gluing onto him.

"And to think we met all thanks to Pikachu smelling Sasuke's ketchup..." Naruto grinned, the mentioned turning away as a blush lit his cheeks.

Ash laughed. "I'm glad Sasuke-san had that packet though! It made Pikachu really happy!"

"Pika!" The mouse cheered, leaping from his trainer's shoulder to the Uchiha's, cooing in his ear, him having to fight back a smile from showing on his face.

Itachi chuckled. "You all have made our stay in Lumiose City an unforgettable experience. Thank you."

"...Even though we had that run-in with Team Flare?" Clemont brought up, becoming uncertain.

Bonnie slapped him on the back. "Onii-chan! Don't go ruining the mood!"

"Demo!"

The elder chortled. "None of you had anything to do with what Team Flare did. Besides, you helped protect us and healed my precious otouto." He shrugged. "And now they are behind bars. I made sure of that. They will never succeed in their plan."

"And it was fun commanding your Pokémon!" The Uzumaki interjected, arms behind his head.

The raven grunted. "I could do without my near-death experience though."

"Same here." The tawny appeared unusually solemn, meeting his peer's eyes. "...Thanks for saving me back there. Both times."

The onyx quirked a brow. "Both?"

"In addition to almost being shot down by Subiaa, I could have also been caught in a net and made a prisoner if it weren't for you." The grateful gave a sincere smile.

The stoic tched, face completely red as he turned away. "Try being less of a burden next time." A low mumbling followed, unable to be heard by the other.

"Speak up, teme." The swarthy leaned in closer, hand cupping his ear.

What was said shocked the listener. "...You're welcome." He then turned to the capped, offering something to the boy. "Here."

"This is!" The mouse beamed brightly at the sight. "Thanks for giving Pikachu another packet of ketchup!"

The rodent eagerly snatched it up, hastily opening the pouch before slurping up the contents. "PIKA!"

"...No problem." The guy shrugged.

Itachi turned to the two. "It's about time we should get going."

"Matte!" The three paused as Ash dug into his pocket. "Gekkōga, Fiarrow, Luchabull, Numelgon, Onvern...I choose you!"

Clemont did the same. "Harimaron, Horubī, Raiboruto, Rentorar, Elezard...come on out!"

"Tairenar, Yancham, Iibui...appear now!" Serena was quick to follow. Several flashes of light leapt out of the devices as they were thrown, the aforementioned creatures manifesting.

The trio was stunned. "What're you—"

"We're going to give a proper goodbye!" Bonnie explained. "And that can only be done if _all_ of us are to see you out!"

Itachi gave a fond look at the children and their creatures. "Sokka..." He smiled. "Sayonara."

"See you later!" Naruto exclaimed, hands cupping his mouth.

Sasuke huffed. "...Bye."

The creatures cheered, calling out all at once.

"Pika!"

"Gekkō!"

"Fia!"

"Cha!"

"El!"

"On!"

"Den!"

"Ma!"

"Bī!"

"Rai!"

"Rar!"

"Zar!"

"Tai!"

"Yan!"

"Bui!"

"Come back later!" Ash shouted.

Serena waved. "Don't be strangers!"

"You're welcome here any time!" Clemont yelled.

Bonnie giggled. "You better visit us real soon!"

The two groups continued to exchange partings as the three got into the adult's car, the Pokémon and their trainers seeing them off long after they had disappeared beyond the horizon.

* * *

Translation: Pikachu=Pikachu, Dedenne=Dedenne, Arigato=Thank you, Pukurin=Wigglytuff, onii-chan=big brother, otouto=little brother, Orokana=Foolish, Hai=Yes, Un=Yeah, Wakatta=I understand, Demo=But, Subiaa=Beedrill, Matte=Wait, Gekkōga=Greninja, Fiarrow=Talonflame, Luchabull=Hawlucha, Numelgon=Goodra, Onvern=Noivern, Harimaron=Chespin, Horubī=Bunnelby, Raiboruto=Manectric, Rentorar=Luxray, Elezard=Heliolisk, Tairenar=Braixen, Yancham=Pancham, Iibui=Eevee, Sokka=I understand, Sayonara=Goodbye

The Persona 3 fandom is next! I didn't make it appear this chapter since I need more time to research and I wanted to get this out today. Enjoying my break also factored into my decision. I hope I can live up to your expectations! (:

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	17. Chapter 17

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter and the one before that prior—**YugiKitten** for commenting on the first—plus **ukkiplant** for favoriting along with **CrypticRebel** for evaluating, favoriting, and following Always and Forever Yours, Love Will Never Die, Maybe, Just Maybe... not forgetting favoriting as well as following Bijuu and You, Jealous? I Think Not..., also Not As Simple As It Sounds in addition to **The Imprisoned of Hell** for favoriting before following The Depths of Love, **ren9999** for favoriting preceding following—**William152 **for doing the former—Shinobi no Pokémon, **KagomeGirl021** for favoriting Always and Forever Yours sans leaving out **Kittiecait** for favoriting Not As Simple As It Sounds! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE INDEED **Jazz**! *pops even more confetti*

Sorry for not replying to that review beforehand! Like I said, this site had a problem in which I couldn't see any of my recent reviews! Sorry about that! I'm glad it's fixed now! ^^'

No problem! (:

Yep... /:

It's fine! ^_^

There was a problem causing reviews posted on December 31st and beyond to not show up but luckily it was fixed with all the reviews returning! :3

Yeah! :P

All credit goes to big brother Clemont indeed! J:

I wonder why? Naruto has had a _HUGE_ influence on many of our generation, huh? C:

I hope so... /:

Thank you so much for giving me that link! :D

No problem! See you! ;)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! TO CELEBRATE, I DECIDED TO UPDATE TODAY! XD

OH MY GOD! School has been _KILLING_ me even more than usual! In between the _ENDLESS_ amount of work thrown my way and applying to _A LOT _of scholarships, I haven't had time to write this story! To make things worse, I've been hit with writer's block and have been losing my will to write—which hasn't vanished _AT ALL_, still _COMPLETELY_ present; I just don't want to write anymore! Sorry about this! DX

Yeah...there's a reason it's a tragedy **CrypticRebel**. However, it gets better later on...for an amount of time.

Yep! Too crowded for comfort! :3

THANK YOU SO MUCH! XD

Sigh. As much as I appreciate your concern **YugiKitten**, the first chapter has been out since January 16th 2015, aka for _more than a year_. I'm sorry if it's not to your liking, but it is what it is; I won't change it _at all_. It might not be the best, but this is _my_ story.

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The two groups continued to exchange partings as the three got into the adult's car, the Pokémon and their trainers seeing them off long after they had disappeared beyond the horizon._

* * *

"Here we are."

For hours on end, Itachi had been driving, leaving their prior place of stay far behind. During the ride, Naruto had once again fallen asleep, leaning against the nearest window. The eldest chuckled as he witnessed a certain someone looking oh so discreetly behind himself, smirking. "Orokana otouto."

At last after what seemed to be forever, the vehicle entered another metropolis, comparable to their previous destination yet had a completely different—if not ominous—aura. The deep cerulean surface of the ocean came into view from the right side of the road, green isles circled by harbors leading to waterways and populated by a multitude of trees and edifices, wind turbines visible from where there were, rotating in the breeze that flew past able to seen in the distance.

The Uzumaki chose that time to wake up, blearily glancing at his surroundings. "Huh? Where are we this time?"

"We're in Iwatodai." Sasuke's gaze then flicked toward the sea, focusing on a certain locus. "And that's Tatsumi Port Island, made up of two man-made islands located very close to each other." He grumbled. "Like all the places we have and will be visiting, nii-san and I have been here on business with tou-san."

His brother laughed. "Don't forget that we're here to gain new experiences, not work."

"Hn..."

The blond appeared confused by the exchange, but shrugged it off. "So...what's it like? Is this place similar to Lumiose City?"

"Not really." The man sighed. "Although both are prosperous and are densely populated, the atmospheres are completely different and so are the people."

The bemused quirked a brow. "Different...how?!"

"Their attitudes and personalities are much different. You'll see when we get there." The younger Uchicha grunted, shrugging. "And there are no Pokémon here or anything like them."

The listener nodded. "Oh..." At that moment, the car pulled up into a plaza containing multiple flights of stairs and a gold floor covered in laurel diamonds—with the occasional white and rosette brick—with pink surrounding the spaces between, several bikes strewn about all around.

"We are at Iwatodai Station." Itachi muttered. "It serves as the last stop on the Iwatodai line—a monorail that links Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island. A strip mall is located nearby and offers a large variety of different eateries to feed hungry passengers after a long ride and also the citizens of the city."

The raven scoffed. "We are not going there right now; we have to check into our hotel first. It's beyond the station."

"Okay." The swarthy murmured. The vehicle then passed the terminus, heading closer to their destination. As they neared the lodge, a large, beautifully decorated brown multistory edifice which had windows containing engravings of hourglasses on their sides above a multitude of green hedges behind a short fence came into view.

The eldest smiled as he caught the flaxen's curious gaze. "That's Iwatodai Dormitory. It serves as housing for those who attend Gekkoukan High School, which is located on Tatsumi Port Island. The students should be returning from school any second now."

"Oh wow!" The excited beamed. "Let's go and meet them!"

The stoic humphed, crossing his arms. "Of course you would say that."

"Teme." The offended huffed.

The driver chuckled. "We will after we get settled in."

* * *

"Hey there! Who are you?"

As soon as the trio had checked in and unpacked all their stuff, the fulvous rushed out the door, a trail of dust literally in his wake as he sped toward the nearby dorm. As he went closer, he spotted a woman sporting chestnut tresses held back through a multitude of barrettes over ruby eyes complemented by a crimson bow which brought out the badges pinned to the fabric beside an incarnadine sash wound around her arm near an alabaster belt that contained a holster which housed a silver pistol above onyx stockings that led to hazel shoes beside a girl who had peach hair that was the same color as her blouse which was striated and bore the same accessories as that of her companion's atop sable shorts completed with black boots, both chatting amongst themselves.

The latter quirked a brow. "Who are _you_ supposed to be? I've never seen you around before."

"Sorry about that!" The blond sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, flustered. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm visiting this place with one of my friends and his brother!"

The former smiled. "It's no problem. I'm Arisato Minako."

"And I'm Yukari Takeba!" The other seconded.

The door of the building abruptly opened, a male bearing cerulean fringes—which covered one of his grey eyes—who wore an ebon jacket which was decorated with a variety of symbols along with pants of the same color and a necklace around his neck in addition to a sable tie attached to a white button-down exiting, a silverette guy who had a red vest over a bleached dress shirt above onyx jeans right beside him. The blunet tucked his hands into his pockets. "About time you both came back." The boy turned his head toward the stranger, assessing him as two others joined him. "And who are they?"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki!" The addressed repeated, beaming as he glanced at his companions. "This is my friend, Sasuke Uchiha." The raven grunted. "And his older brother, Itachi Uchiha!"

The questioner nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Makoto Yuki."

"Akihiko Sanada. Why don't we go in?" The group did just that, entering the building. Once they approached the lobby, which was free of anyone else, the slate scratched his chin as he scrutinized the brothers. "Aren't you both the heirs to Uchiha Incorporated, heirs to one of the largest magnates in the world?"

The stoic huffed. "Yes."

"Teme! Be more polite!" The swarthy screamed...

...only to be disregarded. "Hn."

"So you three aren't from here, huh?" The striped pondered, breaking up their argument as they turned to her. "Even if, don't you guys still have to go to school?"

The conceited scoffed. "Nii-san already graduated from college. It was his idea to go on this trip. We worked out this situation with our school and look where we are."

"But what do your parents have to say about this?! No offense, but most parents wouldn't approve of their kids skipping out on school to go on a trip, even if they had worked everything out beforehand." The interrogator crossed her arms.

A melancholic glint entered the tawny's hues. "The thing is, I don't have any parents. My mom and dad died shortly after I was born. I have no idea how but all I know is that I was the only one who survived and I got sent to an orphanage. Ever since I could remember, I had been sent from foster home to foster home until just last year; I had enough and simply started living on my own, paying rent and utilities by myself while working to pay the bills and going to school all at the same time...but not anymore." Bangs shaded his eyes. "About a week ago, I received a notice of eviction because my landlord basically wants to get rid of me since I am 'scum' to him. To make things worse, that phone call caused me to be late to work, getting me fired." He looked back up, silence having greeted him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said—"

"No! No! I'm sorry for asking!" Takeba exclaimed, waving her hands in a placating manner. "In fact, I can relate!" She shrunk into herself, head down. "My father died a few years ago. His death broke my mother, and she has been dating multiple shallow men to try to get away from all that pain." Tears began streaming down her face. "She basically abandoned me!"

Itachi shook his head, sympathizing with her. "I know how you feel. Haha-ue passed away years ago from disease. Ever since then, chichi-ue has been cold and distant toward my otouto and me, burying himself in his work."

"My parents were killed in a horrible car accident. Same with Yuki's." Minako confessed.

Akihiko appeared shocked. "Oi! You shouldn't be telling such things to people we just met!"

"Don't be like that!" The striated crossed her arms, glaring. "What's wrong with relating to someone else?!"

Arisato joined in. "Why shouldn't she tell someone something she wants to tell them?"

Sanada face-palmed. "That's _way_ too trusting!" The charcoal then turned to the first. "You're the one to be talking Yukari! _You're_ the one with the _greatest_ trust issues!"

"I feel for them! We all have been abandoned by our parents! What's wrong with relating?!" She repeated, screeching.

Makoto sighed. "Now is not the time for this. We have lots of homework to do." He glanced at the trio. "It was nice meeting you. We have to get going now." The four turned around, walking towards their rooms.

"Matte!" The tetrad paused in their tracks as Naruto spoke again. "What's with those guns you guys are carrying?!"

The peach's eyes widened in shock. "You've never heard of the Dark Hour?!"

"Dark Hour?!" Just hearing those words struck fear into the Uzumaki's heart for reasons he couldn't comprehend. "What is that?!"

The brunet nodded in understanding. "You three wouldn't know since you aren't from here."

"Nii-san and I haven't heard of it even though we have been here with tou-san on business." Sasuke quirked a brow.

The blunet shook his head. "Outsiders are not supposed to know."

"Know about what?!" The fear did not cease one bit, only amplifying hundredfold.

The silverette sighed. "Rumor has it that the Dark Hour can be accessed by playing a tarot game or telling a scary or ghost story inside the school campus at 11:59pm. The Dark Hour begins at 12:00am and lasts until 1:00am. Due to this rumor, many youths—especially teenagers—went missing without a trace and would be found again at the school campus after 3-7 days."

"Those who are found show signs of mental instability and die weeks to months after being diagnosed with a condition called Apathy Syndrome." Yuki elaborated. "This has become known as the Tartarus incident."

Tremors wracked the blond's frame. "Apathy Syndrome?! What is that?!"

"It's a mysterious condition that affects students of Gekkoukan High School as well as other residents of Tatsumi Port Island and Iwatodai." Minako explained. "Those suffering from the syndrome suffer from debilitating levels of apathy. When it strikes the inflicted will collapse in a heap where ever they happen to be and become unable to move, feed, or care for themselves. The number of cases grows in correlation with the approach of the full moon."

The younger Uchiha quirked a brow. "But what does this have to do with carrying guns during the school day if the Dark Hour only happens at 12:00am?"

"We don't know what's causing the Dark Hour to occur nor do we know if it only occurs during the Dark Hour!" Takeba screamed, terrified.

Sanada shrugged. "It's school policy to carry these guns around for our safety."

"Is it a good idea to allow students to be carrying guns on campus?" Itachi interjected. "Shouldn't there be more police in the school to thwart off the danger instead?"

Makoto frowned. "The school already tried that before. In fact, at one time, there was one police officer for every student in the school." He shook his head. "All of them disappeared, even those who had not stayed on campus overnight. They were found with Apathy Syndrome and died. The school was closed down after that but even then, the cases did not stop. With our society so established on Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island, no one wants to move. Therefore, the school reopened with a policy that every student must carry a gun with them for their safety, and in plain sight to avoid any surprises." He turned around once again. "We can't stay for any longer. Don't go out after 12am just in case."

"Wait! One more question!" The four deferred to the flaxen once more, yet didn't turn around. "What happens during the Dark Hour?!"

The tetrad resumed, walking away. "...No one knows." And then they were gone, leaving the trio alone in the lobby.

"Nonsense." Sasuke scoffed as the three left the dormitory, making their way back to the hotel.

The blond was quivering from head to toe. "Are you sure it was a good idea to come here?! I think we should have stayed in Lumiose City or simply have went somewhere else!"

"We don't know whether what those four were saying is actually true." Itachi shrugged. "I never heard of disappearing police officers or Apathy Syndrome even after my multiple visits here in the past."

The Uzumaki gasped. "You don't believe them?!"

"With a lack of actual evidence, they were probably just telling any newcomer who comes their way a ghost story to scare them." The stoic huffed. "Don't be so gullible. Who knows if their backstories are even real? They could have been made up on the spot just to gain our trust."

Shock couldn't even begin to describe what the fulvous was feeling. "Don't tell me you actually agree with teme, Itachi!"

"There is no reason to believe what is most likely just a mere ghost story." The Uchihas continued toward their destination, the swarthy stopping as he glanced back at the dorm which loomed behind them.

An ominous chill ran down the blond's spine. "Yeah, keep believing that."

* * *

Translation: Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, nii-san=older brother, tou-san=father, Haha-ue=Mother, chichi-ue=father, Oi=Hey, Matte=Wait

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	18. Chapter 18

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter after **Guest** for commenting in Chapter 2 plus **William152** for favoriting A Distorted Reflection, Into the Darkness of the World, Kingdom Hearts: Keys in the Heart of the Monster, Shinobi no Pokémon—as well as **MoonlightMiracle. SakurianaHime**—sans leaving out The Merging of Realms, Three's a Crowd, Two Worlds Collide not forgetting **ankwhat** for following Always And Forever Yours, Bijuu and You, Maybe, Just Maybe...—**IWasBornReadyForYou** for favoriting it—followed by Not As Simple As It Sounds—**Makio. NATSU**, **Visually Dreamer**,** aquarius89** for favoriting it—before Of Thirty-One Days—**ShadowyWriter **too—along with **Rivergoddess117** for favoriting and following Kalyeserye ToYaGo! in addition to **fallendestinyxx** for simply favoriting it lastly **AleaNagashimaHyuuga** &amp; **destynovalles** for favoriting prior to following Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

I'm sorry **Guest**. I'm sorry that you dislike my style. No, I'm not trying to show off. I genuinely _LIKE_ using romaji in my stories. I'm sorry that it bothers you. Even if I sound like a "weeb" I don't care. I'm sorry if I'm disrespecting japanese culture. It _WOULD_ be _A LOT_ easier to just write 'wait' instead of 'matte' and translating it at the bottom of the chapter. Oh wait! I _ACTUALLY_ give translations in the bottom of each chapter! Some authors don't even do that! Sorry that I'm inaccurate; I use Google Translate. I don't know much japanese outside from what I learned from watching anime so _OF COUSE _I wouldn't be accurate. I'm sorry for your inconvenience.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY **Jazz**! I HOPE YOU CAN ENJOY THIS SPECIAL OCCASION! XD

Oh wow! Thanks for reviewing despite how late it was! ^_^

I did _A TON_ of research! :D

Well, I wasn't sure what the Male Protagonist's actual name was, but I think it was Makoto Yuki in the movie according to the wikia, so I went with that. /:

Don't want to confuse him for Naruto's dad indeed! XD

Do you want them to be related? They _COULD_ be distant cousins with different last names if you want. I could make the reason Minako did not mention that she and Yuki are related be it would draw more parallels if she said that his and her parents were both killed in car accidents rather than her saying that her parents and distant uncle and aunt were killed if I'm making any sense. She could mention that they are related later on. Would you like that, or are you fine with them not being related?

Really? Oh wow! :O

I'm glad I did so well with the characterizations of those characters! n_n

Yep! That's true! (:

That's great! J:

Whoa! :3

True! C:

Yeah! I hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day! ^_^

Thanks for being so understanding! Between all the schoolwork and homework I've been getting, applying for _ENDLESS_ amounts of scholarships, stressing for college, and writer's block, I haven't been very motivated to write! ^^'

Aww! How cute! (:

Oh yeah! Happy leap year! I was too busy to update on February 29th though! nn'

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_An ominous chill ran down the blond's spine. "Yeah, keep believing that."_

* * *

The 13th of December

"What the heck are you saying?!"

A dense, uncomfortable silence had hung over the three as they returned to the hotel. As soon as they got back, Naruto rushed into his room, taking out his cell and punching in numbers he knew by heart; he couldn't keep what he had heard to himself, and besides, the four did not say that he had to keep what they told him a secret...right? The Uzumaki was hoping for support and reassurance, but that wasn't what he got...

"Mendokusē. Don't believe everything you hear."

"Um...I have a hard time believing this to be true."

...That was to be expected of Shikamaru and Chōji. However, Kiba would believe him, right? They were like-minded and kindred spirits, so it would be _impossible_ for him not to agree, right? _Right?! _Well...

"Are you _that _stupid?! I actually _agree_ with that arrogant prick for once! Did you hear me?! I. Agree. With. That. Arrogant. Prick! What has the world come to?! Only wusses take ghost stories to heart at our age! Baka!"

...said person reacted the _worst _to what the flaxen had told him, spewing out insults to the listener's intelligence—or supposed lack thereof—left and right. Realizing it was pointless, the frustrated abruptly hung up before throwing the device, nearly smashing it on a nearby wall. Thank goodness he hadn't; that phone was irreplaceable, but that was just how _angry_ the poor boy was. Thank goodness he had no assignments that day; he was in no mood to work whatsoever. Sulking, the sullen brushed his teeth and took a shower before going straight to bed, not feeling like staying up any longer.

The blond slept just _great_. Sure, sure...definitely not filled with tossing and turning. Definitely keeping his eyes closed throughout. Definitely did not jump at every creak and groan. Definitely did not see a monster in every shadow. Definitely did not have to keep from wetting the bed. Definitely did not cling onto Kurama as if his life depended on it. Giving up on any hope of rest, the afflicted sighed, staring at the plush fox trapped in a death grip within his arms. Sasuke. He had bought Kurama on that day in Traverse Town, giving it to Naruto. He felt as if it was just yesterday, simply unable to forget that kind gesture. The thought saddened him too though; the same guy who showed him such kindness would not even believe him on this, something that scared him so much. Saddening indeed.

Which brings us back to current time... "I can't believe we're still talking about this." The younger Uchiha huffed. After the longest night of the Uzumaki's life—and the longest hour as 12:00am had struck, curling up into a ball under his covers and trembling like a gravely hypothermic person until 1:00am—Itachi had knocked on his door, informing him that they were going to the mall. The three were currently in the adult's car, heading toward said destination.

"The h*** we are!" The fulvous glared. "How could you not believe those four?! You believed in Pokémon and they're supernatural too! Why not believe this?!"

The conceited huffed. "Pokémon are a proven phenomenon. This isn't. We haven't heard of any 'Dark Hour' or 'Apathy Syndrome' beforehand even though we had been here on many trips with tou-san in the past, like nii-san said before. This is nothing but a mere ghost story, one you shouldn't be taking so seriously usuratonkachi."

"Oh yeah?!" The offended challenged. "Don't you realize that they only told us about the Dark Hour and Apathy Syndrome after I asked why they were carrying guns?! They weren't going to tell us if I hadn't! In fact, they were going back to their rooms before I stopped them!"

The stoic shrugged. "They could have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to spring the story on us. Who knows if they were actually going back to their rooms? They could have just been waiting for one of us to notice their guns."

"Teme!" Naruto was truly appalled. "How _could_ you say such a thing! You don't even know these people so what gives you the right to say such horrible things about them?!"

Sasuke sneered. "You don't know them either. You can't just assume they were telling the truth."

"But then why were they carrying guns on them in the first place?! Huh? _Huh?!_" The Uzumaki went in the other's face, just daring him to refute...

...which he did. "Those guns could easily be fakes—toys. Or those four could simply be delinquents who carry guns around and hide them while at school."

"And if there really was one police officer for every student at Gekkoukan High School as Makoto-kun had claimed, there would have been thousands." Itachi chose that moment to interject. "Police officers are people of the law. If thousands were to suddenly vanish, there would be significant commotion generated by the disappearances alone. However, they all also supposedly were found again and died soon after from Apathy Syndrome...which would create an even greater ruckus. How would it be possible for such an incident to remain silent?" His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "How could any of this remain a secret for so long? There are bound to have been more visitors to this area than just us. How would it be possible for such a secret to not come out?"

The blond clenched his fists. "I don't know. I just don't know!" His head shot up, glancing at each of the Uchiha brothers in turn. "Demo, even though I have no idea how this is even possible...I still believe them! I believe what they told us without a single doubt!"

"Orokana." The younger sibling sighed, rubbing his temples. "Logic just can't get through to you, huh? Even after all we said, you still believe them." He narrowed his eyes at his peer. "Who knows if their backstories are even real? They could have been made up on the spot. They could have been acting all scared and serious so we would believe them." He tched. "They were probably laughing at us once they were out of earshot."

The fulvous could barely contain the urge to throttle a certain someone, having to rip away from him to prevent from acting on that urge. "Itachi! Don't tell me you actually agree with him!"

"...There is no evidence what they were saying is true." The adult muttered, keeping his gaze firmly on the road.

Sadness flooded the boy at those words, bangs covering his face. "Then why did you believe me, Itachi-san?" The elder flinched at the honorific. "We barely knew each other when I told you my past. You didn't even question me once unlike someone..." he leered at the person sitting next to him, "...yet why don't you believe them? Aren't you supposed to be an excellent judge of character and be able to detect lies immediately?" Tears started streaming down. "Why did you not believe them when you believed me?"

"..."

"..."

The melancholic shrugged as a tense silence hung over the three. "See?"

"...You're right." The sullen whipped his head toward the adult, shocked as he continued. "You make an excellent point, Naruto-kun. I did not believe them mainly because of the impossibility of what they claimed...but I should have been trusting my instincts more. I trusted them when you told me your past. My instincts told me they were telling the truth, and honestly, I believed them until they started talking about the Dark Hour and Apathy Syndrome. I apologize." He glimpsed at the blond whose tears had stopped flowing. "Pokémon are indeed supernatural too and to tell you the truth, I wouldn't have believed in their existence either if I hadn't seen them myself. I won't question their words any longer."

The flaxen beamed. "Itachi!" The man's lips quirked up at that.

"...I'm still uncertain of what they said." The blond glared at the younger sibling who sighed. "However, I won't doubt them as much. Perhaps they were telling the truth; maybe, maybe not."

The oldest smirked. "Orokana otouto..." He smiled as a large multistory building housing a myriad of stores and glass balconies came into view. "We're here." He glanced at the tawny. "Naruto-kun...to make it up to you, why don't I treat you to Hakagure Ramen? I heard its Special Ramen is a popular choice. The ramen here is handmade, the restaurant serving quality food."

"Ramen! Ramen! I haven't had that in forever!" The Uzumaki was basically frothing at the mouth, but confusion suddenly overtook his face. "Huh? How did you know that I love ramen?"

A malicious glint entered the elder's eye. "Nii-san..." The warning was obviously ignored.

"Sasuke mentioned it after he got home one time. 'I met a blond idiot who kept on chanting religiously about ramen at the store today. To believe I'll be going to school with him tomorrow.' I believe that was the day you both first met. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

The flush that had been staining the boy's cheeks only intensified. "Nii-san!"

"Sasuke...talked about me?" The fulvous blinked several times, unable to believe his own ears.

Itachi gave a wholehearted laugh. "Sasuke usually doesn't talk about people he just met; he usually just brushes them off!"

"NII-SAN!"

* * *

"Itadakimasu!"

The visitors had entered a dimly-lit area which contained many wooden tables and chairs as well as a small television beside a counter which led to the kitchen, the trio sitting on the stools of said place as they waited for their food. After they got what they wanted—the Uzumaki's with extra pork of course—they dined, the blond literally inhaling his noodles while the Uchiha brothers took much smaller bites from their own.

"I'm glad you enjoy it." The eldest chuckled, smiling. "Do you forgive us now?"

The questioned beamed. "Yeah! I sure do!"

"Usuratonkachi." The stoic couldn't help but sigh at his companion's table manners—or lack thereof.

Mood shattered. "TEME! YOU—"

"It's nice to see you again!" The argument was broken as the three turned in the direction of the voice, a certain group of people approaching them. Yukari waved as she sat down beside the swarthy, the others taking the other seats.

The flaxen waved back. "Hey!" He grinned as he picked up his bowl, holding it up high. "The ramen here is some of the best I've ever eaten in my life!"

"I know, right?" Minako giggled. "The four of us come here pretty often for breakfast before we have to catch the Iwatodai line to go to school."

Makoto shrugged. "We go to other places too, but we come here the most often."

"Hurry up or we'll miss the line." Akihiko sighed.

The blunet hummed. "That won't be a problem." The arrivals then placed their orders, settling down.

"Oh! Yuki-kun!" One of the chefs called, gazing at the cerulean. "You want the usual, right?"

The addressed shrugged. "I guess."

"Coming right up!" In an instant, five large bowls were placed in front of the boy. "Here's your five Special Ramens! I had them prepared before you came here, as usual."

Takeba gasped. "You glutton! Stop eating so much!"

"I can't help my appetite." The accused brushed off.

Naruto literally leapt off his seat. "You love ramen too?!"

"I love to eat in general. I might not look like it, but I'm a big eater." The guy muttered.

Sasuke face-palmed. "Just what is this idiot up to?"

"I challenge you to a ramen eating contest!" The Uzumaki declared, pointing a finger straight at the teal. "There's no one who loves ramen more than me and can eat more of than I can!"

Sanada sweat-dropped. "Oi, oi...it won't be much longer until the line leaves. We don't have time for a contest!"

"Oh, this won't take long." The cobalt smirked. "I accept."

The cook laughed. "This will be interesting! Luckily I have an additional five bowls of Special Ramen in the back!" He rushed back in, slamming said items onto the counter in front of Naruto.

"They're really going through with this, aren't they?" The silverette grumbled, sighing.

The two held their chopsticks above their first helpings, ready to dive in at a moment's notice. "START!" The pair dug into their food instantaneously, breathing in the noodles as if they had been deprived of oxygen all their lives.

Arisato stared at the pair wide-eyed. "If I wasn't here to see this for myself, I would never have believed that anyone could match Makoto's impossibly large appetite."

"I can't believe a guy as reserved and cool as Makoto could even eat that much!" Yukari exclaimed. She watched as the competitors moved onto their second servings. "Do they have black holes for stomachs?! Where does all that food even go?! Geez!" She rested her chin on her palm. "Boys; they don't have to worry about getting fat. Lucky." She humphed. "Unlike them, I have a figure to keep up."

The slate rolled his eyes. "This also makes you wonder just how long people like them take in the bathroom. It better not all be a quasar coming out—"

"EWW! Akihiko! Are you trying to ruin my appetite?!" Takeba screeched, glaring at the offender.

Minako narrowed her eyes. "That was uncalled for."

"Hey! It's true!" The charcoal countered, waving his hands in a placating gesture.

"AND DONE!"

"AND DONE!"

The judge stared in awe. "You both finished at the exact same time!"

"So it looks like I've found a worthy opponent, huh?" The blunet smirked.

Naruto snickered. "Kindred spirits, eh?"

"Who knows?" The cerulean glanced at the slate. "Told you, didn't I? That only took two minutes."

The peach groaned. "Lucky boys! I can't eat as freely as you can!"

"Bad luck for you." The teal shrugged as he proceeded to stand, digging into his pocket.

A throat was cleared, Itachi speaking up. "I'll pay for all of us."

"Really?" Yuki quirked a brow. "You don't need to do that."

The man chuckled. "It's fine. You four are students, right? Therefore, it would be best to save up some money. I have more than enough to spare. And besides..." He smiled. "It was entertaining to watch that eating contest."

"Nii-san..." His younger brother face-palmed. "What has the world come to?" He grumbled under his breath, shaking his head.

Arisato grinned. "Thank you very much!"

"That's so kind of you!" Yukari beamed.

The sapphire smiled. "Thanks."

"I appreciate this." Akihiko expressed. He then turned, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's about time we should get going."

Just before they could leave however, Naruto called out to them. "Hey! Can we meet again once school is over for you? I want to talk about what you told us yesterday!"

"Oh that?" The mood seemed to dampen in no time flat. "I understand why you would have a hard time believing us; if I wasn't from here and hadn't personally experienced what has been occuring in Tatsumi Port Island and Iwatodai, I wouldn't believe it either." Sanada uttered.

The Uzumaki frantically shook his head. "No, I believe you! I just want to know more!"

"Okay then." Makoto nodded. "We'll meet at the dorms after school. We'll explain more then." The four walked away, leaving the three behind.

* * *

Translation: Mendokusē=How troublesome, Baka=Idiot, tou-san=father, nii-san=older brother, Demo=But, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Itadakimasu=Thanks for the food, Oi=Hey

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	19. Chapter 19

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice followed by my author's note plus **JChan2845** for favoriting and following in addition to **Kunoichi Of Chaos** for favoriting A Serendipitous Encounter sans leaving out **shadowknight6398** for favoriting Jealous? I Think Not... as well as Not As Simple As It Sounds—**MewNeko22** too not forgetting favoriting before following Love Will Never Die—along with **meyli .ortiz** for following it, **Guest** for commenting on Kalos Action lastly **digimonhero** for favoriting prior to following Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Okay **g.o.d**, now that was just uncalled for. Just because I decided to write about a gay ship, I'm a disgusting fag who deserves to die?! THAT IS JUST PLAIN HORRIBLE! I'M ACTUALLY A STRAIGHT 17-YEAR OLD GIRL, SO 'FAG' DOESN'T EVEN APPLY TO ME! THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING GAY! WHY MUST PEOPLE BE SO HORRIBLE TO THOSE WHO HAPPEN TO BE ATTRACTED TO OTHERS OF THE SAME GENDER?! THEY'RE PEOPLE TOO, JUST LIKE US! GOD! I'm so insulted I didn't even mention your name up there in those I thanked. Ò_Ó

No problem **Jazz**! It's fine! ^_^

True! :D

That's cool! :3

If that's what you want! :P

I might someday. I just hope it isn't _WAY_ too violent... /:

Thanks! ^_^

Haha! C:

Good luck with your application! (:

_SO_ true! Beware of Ven! :D

Is the quote from vampiressJazz on fanpop in an Elfen Lied thread? That's the only place I could find. "?

Maybe, maybe not... Ü

I bet it tastes like heaven! J:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! XD

Hmm...I included the contest because I found out that Makoto has a huge appetite and I thought it would be funny to see someone race against Naruto to see who could eat an obscene amount of ramen the fastest, especially since Makoto looks all calm and collected. It could if you want. /:

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS TO YOU TOO! XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD

Thanks for giving Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità a chance despite not being familiar with Hetalia! The thing is though, it's not a one-shot; it's an ongoing multi-chaptered story. Could you please continue reading it? Your reviews brighten my day and motivate me to update this story more often too! I'm still _HORRENDIOUSLY_ busy, but you staying with that story will make me more willing to find time to write this one! Besides, remember what I usually have at the end of multi-chaptered stories? C:

Oh, and since you're my absolutely favorite reader of all time who has stayed with me for so long, I'll give you a special hint regarding the endgame ship...remember Kalyeserye ToYaGo!? Remember the pairing I have there? The endgame ship is similar to that! 'One and only' no longer applies! ;)

Thanks for the compliment **Guest**! That really warms my heart! I guess including all those percentages and statistics wasn't all that natural, but I actually wanted to be accurate. By the way, I did 'anime-ise' some of the moves; Flaette was able to grab onto Luchabull with Vine Whip, Fiarrow used Brave Bird and Flare Blitz simultaneously, Gekkōga was able to retreat into the wave created by Surf, Pikachu used Thunderbolt as a counter-shield to protect himself from Attract—a status move that shouldn't have been affected, etc. Thanks for the review anyways! It still made my day! n_n

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Okay then." Makoto nodded. "We'll meet at the dorms after school. We'll explain more then." The four walked away, leaving the three behind._

* * *

"Yum! This is _really_ good!"

After the tetrad had exited the establishment, the Uzumaki literally took his companions by the hand—one chuckling while the other gave a death glare, guess who—before running off, completely oblivious to the eyes glued onto the three at the peculiar sight, something the Uchihas were unable to miss. Let's just say Sasuke was not amused. At. All.

Itachi laughed. "So which eatery do you like most, Naruto-kun?"

The blond beamed, taking a gigantic bite out of the ice-cream he held in his hands, pointedly ignoring the death glare shot his way. "Hakagure Ramen of course!"

"Are you trying to get brain freeze?" The younger brother snapped, looking at his peer in disdain...

...which was returned. "Teme!" Humphing, the flaxen turned away from the conceited, demeanor brightening once again as he redirected his attention to the kinder of the two siblings. "Anyways...the food in the other places was awesome as well!" He hummed as he recalled the various cuisines he had enjoyed. "The takoyaki at Octopia was an explosion of flavors in my mouth, the burgers I had at Wild-Duck Burger were savory, the Prodigy Platters in Wakatsu Resturant were surprisingly delicious—"

"You need to eat more of them in order to increase your mental capacity." The raven scoffed...

...which was promptly disregarded. "The beef bowls at the Beef Bowl Shop were unforgettable, and the sweets at the Sweet Shop are so sweet!" The speaker held up his cone, licking at the frozen treat held within.

"At this rate, you're going to become a blimp dobe." The insulter shook his head. "You're going to become obese."

The offended leered. "Teme! For your information, I have a _really_ high metabolism!"

"No wonder you aren't currently overweight with all the ramen you ingest." The onyx scorned. "You know your metabolism will eventually slow down, right? Why do you think so many mid-aged people are fat?" He crossed his arms. "Their metabolisms slow down while their food consumption doesn't. The fact that most have inactive jobs doesn't help any. That's how you'll end up in the future at this rate: an obtuse, obese blob."

The fulvous was _fuming_. "Teme! Unlike you, I wouldn't be able to live with not having food I enjoy! You might be able to survive an all-soy diet, but I can't!"

"Now, now, that's enough." The eldest chose that time to step in, breaking up the fighting before turning toward the tawny. "You know Beef Bowl Shop holds a Beef Bowl Challenge every other month, right?" He smirked. "It's been two months since the last one as of tonight."

The stoic glared at his brother. "Nii-san! Don't encourage that idiot!"

"Really?!" Too late. "Oh wow! That's incredible!" He beamed. A thought suddenly flashed past his mind, the boy slamming a fist to his palm. "I'm going to challenge Makoto to another eating contest!"

The indignant face-palmed. "Baka!"

* * *

"For the love of all that is holy!"

The three had met the four as they got off the monorail, the two groups heading towards the eateries for dinner. The blond and blunet exchanged a meaningful glance; oh it was _on_.

Akihiko groaned. "Not again!"

"Here are your twenty beef bowls!" Seriously, where does all that food go?

Sasuke scoffed. "Are they _trying_ to die of morbid obesity? First all the Special Ramens and now this."

"You and me both." Sanada huffed, covering his eyes from the incredulous scene before him. "You and me both."

What happened next shocked every occupant of the resturant to the very core. "I challenge you two!"

"Minako?!" Yukari shrieked. "What are you saying?!"

The brunet sighed. "I'm _saying_ that I want in. I want to join the contest!" A collective gasp rang throughout the establishment; it was not every day someone sees a pretty young girl with a slim frame wanting to pig out after all.

"Here's ten more beef bowls!" The platters were brought over, the thirty dishes overcrowding the table the seven sat at.

Takeba pouted. "You'll become a ball at this rate! The three of you will! Neither of you will be able to walk anymore; we'll have to push you around in order to get anywhere!"

"Don't." The silverette muttered from behind his hands. "Your words are falling on deliberately deaf ears."

A chef came into the scene, a timer in his hand. "Three! Two! One! Let the Beef Bowl Challenge commence!" The competitors dug into their meals in a flash, the sounds of clinking utensils filling the air immediately.

"Oh my god! The horror! The horror!" The peach screamed. "Where did all that Special Ramen from this morning go?!"

The slate snorted. "Remember that only Yuki and Uzumaki participated in that contest this morning; Minako didn't." He slammed his forehead into the table. "I ask this again: just how long do these three spend in the bathroom?"

"Stop saying that! It's disgusting!" The female cried. As she caught sight of the rapidly disappearing morsels, she turned away, unable to watch what was going on anymore. "A girl shouldn't be allowed to eat this much!"

Itachi chuckled. "My, my..." You would think that a delicate young lady would have the most perfect manners, holding up a certain fork for each food as she graceful placed small portions into her mouth; Minako was the exact opposite, a spoon in each hand as she shoveled scoop after scoop into her maw, akin to a starving lobster tearing its prey apart.

"DONE!"

A horn was honked. "And the winner is...Arisato Minako!"

"WHAT?!"

"WHAT?!"

The other two contestants finished seconds later, the utmost disbelief evident in their features at the current development.

The victor stuck her tongue out, making a peace sign as applause exploded across the restaurant, winking at the cameras. "Girl power!"

"I am _not _with her." The congratulated turned to Takeba as she humphed, refusing to meet the other's eyes. "You must have a black hole for a stomach! How else could you keep such a figure?!"

The Uzumaki approached the pair, holding his hand out. "Omedetō."

"Arigato. You were great yourself." The gesture was returned, the two smiling. "So were you, Makoto."

The addressed huffed. "I get why you didn't join us this morning now; you knew about the Beef Bowl Challenge and didn't eat any Special Ramen so you could have more room, am I right?"

"Sharp as always." She nodded, smiling. "I actually told that chef in Hakagure Ramen that I wouldn't want the usual on this very day; that's why I didn't have five Special Ramens today."

Naruto's face dropped. "I shouldn't have challenged you earlier; sorry about that."

"What are you talking about?" The blond was shocked as chuckling met his ears. "It was fun to meet another like us. You are great competition."

The chestnut giggled. "I had a hard time believing that there was another with our kind of appetite."

"That isn't necessarily a good thing." Akihiko scoffed. He was promptly ignored.

The eldest dug into his wallet once more, pulling out an appropriate amount of cash. "Once again, my treat."

"Thank you so much Itachi!" The Uzumaki beamed, the man's lips curving up at the bright grin.

A throat was cleared, drawing all attention to Sasuke as he spoke. "Shouldn't we be getting back to the dorms now?" It was as if the temperature dropped several degrees, the mood dying down. The tetrad exchanged a glance before nodding.

"Let's go."

* * *

"So what do you want to know?"

After closing the door, the seven gathered in a secluded alcove in the foyer, the four standing before the three.

The younger Uchiha was the first to speak, glancing at Makoto. "You mentioned there being a police officer for every student in the school at one point in time, right?" The addressed nodded at that. "If all really had vanished at one point and reappeared with Apathy Syndrome only to die shortly afterwards, why haven't Nii-san and I heard of this before?"

"Thousands of police officers must have been involved. It's strange how such an event could keep out of the reach of the general public let alone us." Itachi seconded, equally solemn.

Sanada hummed. "Understandable questions. The reason no one outside of Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island knows..." He leaned in, cupping his mouth as his voice lowered to a barely audible whisper. "...is because of the Kirijo Group."

"Kirijo Group?" Naruto repeated, confused. "Who are they?"

The eldest turned to the asker. "The Kirijo Group is a prominent international company that has control over many aspects of the world economy and actually rivals Uchiha Incorporated in terms of power and influence."

"Yes, that's them alright." The silverette reaffirmed. "They also happen to be the sponsers of Gekkoukan High School."

Yuki cut in. "The former principal was the one who had all the police officers come over. It wasn't that hard; the former principal happened to be a very persuasive man and was able to show actual proof of the dangers of the Dark Hour."

"However, he wasn't under the influence of the Kirijo Group; he became principal out of pure merit." Takeba added. "He was actually only principal for a few months before the incident."

Arisato was grim. "They weren't happy. They wanted the former principal to call off all of those officers, saying that he was just being paranoid. The former principal didn't listen and after those officers were found with Apathy Syndrome and died, he closed down the school. The Kirijo Group wasn't pleased with his decision, yet the former principal refused to reopen the school, concerned for our safety."

"You keep on saying 'former principal'." Naruto gulped. "What happened to him?"

Tears began spilling from the peach's eyes. "Shortly after the school was closed down, the former principal vanished! He was found again a few days later, but he just wasn't the same! Everyone thought he was dead when he was discovered, a barely present pulse the only proof he was even alive! He looked like he had been tortured from h*** and back!" She wept. "He was such a kind person!" A melancholic air permeated the surroundings as all seven shared sadness at such a recounting.

"The Kirijo Group was able to use its tremendous influence to cover up the disappearances and deaths; they made the officers and principal seem as if they had all been involved in completely different incidents and destroyed all proof. They're that powerful. The current principal is completely under their thumb, so there is no chance of any of this coming to light." The slate picked back up.

Sasuke quirked a brow. "Can't someone just file a witness report? There must have been people who saw such a large number of officers in your school." An uneasy silence descended upon the bunch, the blunet sighing as he was forced to speak up.

"Basically after the incident, the Kirijo Group made an announcement to everyone at Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island to not say anything." He shook his head. "Believe me, they know if someone tries to tell; many people have disappeared this way."

The Uzumaki quivered with absolute terror. "Then why are you telling us this?!"

"You'll be fine as long as you don't try talking to the authorities." Minako replied. "Believe me, if they went after everyone who talked about this incident, there would be no more people on Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island. Even a corporation as omnipotent as the Kirijo Group would be unable to hide the disappearance of millions of people."

Itachi slowly nodded. "I see..."

"I would like to know something else." Sasuke joined back in. "When exactly did this phenomenon begin? It couldn't have always been present or else the Kirijo Group wouldn't try to hide it." Realization dawned on him. "Could they have been the ones to start this?"

The tears that ran down Yukari's cheeks returned in full force, pouring out in huge streams. "This all began ten years ago. I don't know what happened exactly, but all I know is that my father was a scientist who worked for that group and was opposing some sort of project which led him to be killed!" Her sobs increased on volume. "Otou-sama! Otou-sama!"

"What's worse is that all of the blame of the failure of that project was placed on him." Arisato continued as she held her companion close, offering her some comfort.

Akihiko clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. "Takeba's father must have been framed. I could imagine those corrupt b******s doing something like that."

"...No way." Naruto gasped, his own eyes becoming wet.

Itachi tched. "To think something like that actually happened..."

"...I'm sorry for asking." Sasuke was truly remorseful of what he had said.

Makoto shook his head. "No, don't be." Fire burned in his silver eyes, a similar flame ignited in his friends' orbs. "This has gone on long enough. We have decided; we're going to investigate this for ourselves."

* * *

Translation: Nii-san=Older brother, Baka=Idiot, Omedetō=Congrats, Arigato=Thank you, Otou-sama=Father

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	20. Chapter 20

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice followed by three of my author's notes and my third one two times! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

You're definitely fine **Jazz**! (:

Really?! Whoa! I might actually check it out someday! :O

Yep! :D

Oh wow! Good luck with the business! ^_^

Yeah! ToT

Aww man! Thanks for the consolation prize though! *takes bite-sized cookies and greedily gobbles them down*

HAHAHA! XD

That's really nice of her! What a fantastic birthday! n_n

Will he cameo or will he not cameo? That is the question. Keep on the lookout! ;)

YAY! I can't wait to read your actual review! XD

You and me both, you and me both. If only such a mall existed! ToT

Big mystery questions indeed! :O

Why _DID_ Itachi encourage Naruto? :D

What did you expect indeed! XD

Yep, here's the transition... /:

Yeah...poor her! Ó_Ò

We'll see! Here it is! ;)

HAHAHA! So _THAT'S_ what happened, huh? It's fine! Don't throw your phone out the window though! Did you know that _EVERYTHING_ I've ever posted—from the shortest of author's notes to the 32848 word finale of Shinobi no Pokémon—has been done on my phone only? That's right; I never used a computer to type up my stuff here! Cool, huh? Even this very chapter is coming from a mobile device! :D

So you found the blog I was talking about? Now we both have diabetes and are lying in rainbow puke! XD *dies too*

Did you read all four blogs? J:

Also, check this link out! You'll be puking even more rainbows in no time! XD

gay-hetalian-trash(d)tumblr(d)com

Just click on my endgame ship below the intro! ;)

Check this story out too! You'll be wallowing in even more rainbow puke! :D

fanfiction(d)net/s/9052772/1/The-Axis-Powers-Of-Love

Yeah, poor Italy... Ó_Ò

Queerplatonic? As in us? "?

THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY WORDS! XD

Which name? Feliciano Vargas? C:

Same! ToT

See you too! ^_^

Hilarious indeed! We'll see! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Makoto shook his head. "No, don't be." Fire burned in his silver eyes, a similar flame ignited in his friends' orbs. "This has gone on long enough. We have decided; we're going to investigate this for ourselves."_

"Investigate?" Naruto murmured, perplexed. "What do you mean by that?"

Akihiko sighed. "As in we're going to look into this phenomenon ourselves."

"We can't just let the Kirijo Group do as it pleases anymore!" Yukari screamed. "They've gotten away with more than enough!"

Arisato nodded. "It's been ten years too long."

"But how are you going to actually start the investigation?" Sasuke quirked a brow. "It's highly unlikely that a bunch of high school students could gather sufficient incriminating evidence on a global magnate such as the Kirijo Group, especially since it has the power to make the disappearances of thousands of police officers unknown to the world as a whole." He humphed. "Hiding your disappearances will be nothing more than a bat of an eye to them."

Itachi chuckled. "Orokana otouto." He effortlessly ignored the glare shot his way, continuing as if nothing interrupted him, turning to the four. "Would you like us to help you in your investigation? Otouto and I can access resources from the Uchiha Incorporated database, seeing as we're the heirs."

"That would be great." Yuki muttered, relief evident in his features. "In fact, we were just about to ask you."

The younger of the two brothers huffed. "How could we help though? Just because Uchiha Incorporated and the Kirijo Group rival each other in power, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll be able to unearth anything."

"True. However, we should still try our luck." The elder smirked. "And besides, we don't necessarily have to look for information; we just need to find someone connected to the Kirijo Group whom we could possibly...persuade into giving hints."

The skeptic still wasn't convinced as he addressed the tetrad. "Why didn't you start your investigation earlier?"

"Don't you know just how _dangerous_ this incident is?!" Takeba shrieked. "We were afraid we would end up getting Apathy Syndrome and die!"

Minako scratched her chin. "And it's not as though we weren't looking into the Tartarus Incident beforehand; we simply were unable to find anything."

"What I meant earlier is that we're going to devote ourselves fully into investigating the Kirijo Group and the Dark Hour now." The blunet clarified. "No more just looking for information that was released; there is none anywhere. We'll be looking for that information ourselves." He turned his gaze towards the siblings. "And with the Uchihas' help, that may now be possible."

A shiver ran down the blond's spine. "What happens if you end up getting Apathy Syndrome and die?! Isn't that the reason you guys didn't do this earlier?!" His quivering only increased, trembling like a leaf. "That's a pretty good reason to not get involved!"

"We won't stand on the sidelines anymore." The peach declared, completely resolute. "We just can't! You three coming here helped us realize that; there are people who have no idea what's going on coming here all the time."

Sanada nodded. "Even people who have influence on a global scale are oblivious."

"And we are not allowed to tell the authorities." Makoto finished. "There are so many people put in danger due to the Tartarus Incident, but at least the people from Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island generally know the dangers of the Dark Hour and avoid going outside during it like the plague." He shook his head. "In fact, aside from those police officers and the former principal, most of the victims were either transfer students or foolish teenagers who didn't believe in the Dark Hour and tempted fate by either trying to enter it, or just by staying outside during it."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by entering the Dark Hour? What's the difference between that and just being outside from 12:00am to 1:00am?"

"Rumor has it that once a person plays the tarot game or tells the scary or ghost story, they will be able to interact with what occurs during the Dark Hour." The slate explained. "Otherwise, they won't be able to see what's going on. It's just a rumor though; we never knew what happened to those who tried to verify it...except that each one of them got Apathy Syndrome and died shortly afterwards."

Itachi butted in. "So no one actually knows what goes on during the Dark Hour except that people vanish during it and are found days later with Apathy Syndrome, am I right?"

"Right." The slate affirmed. "No one, except for the Kirijo Group themselves most likely."

The eldest nodded. "I'll contact some of my connections within Uchiha Incorporated tonight and have them dig into information regarding the Kirijo Group, Iwatodai, and Tatsumi Port Island. We have some of the best hackers, so at the very least we can find someone connected to the Kirijo Group who can be influenced into helping us."

"I will contact whatever connections I have too." Sasuke added. "Nii-san and I will look over any information they find as well."

Arisato smiled. "Thank you so much! We'll be one step closer to solving this mystery!"

"Um..." All heads turned toward the blond as he began speaking. "I don't have any connections to any major companies, but I have a friend who is an absolute genius. He can help gather and analyze information." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "He is _extremely_ lazy though. It might take some coaxing to actually get him to help."

Sasuke scoffed. "Would he even believe you?"

"Well if _you_ told him too..." The flaxen glared as he trailed off, already making his point.

The raven huffed. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Thank goodness tomorrow is a Saturday." Akihiko gazed at each person in turn. "Let's meet up at Wakatsu Resturant tomorrow morning for breakfast; we're going to need the extra mental capacity." He then sighed, rubbing his temples as he glanced at a certain three. "I can't believe I'm saying this...but pig out as much as you want."

Takeba gasped. "Pig out?!"

"The more we eat, the smarter we'll get." The silverette shrugged. "Although I don't like this either. Imagine the aftermath—"

The girl clamped a hand over the guy's mouth, effectively shutting him up. "What did I say about that?!"

"Fine, fine." The slate rolled his eyes, removing the offending appendage from his orifice.

The oldest nodded, drawing their attention back to the matters at hand. "That's fine. After that, we should meet at the hotel room the three of us are staying in."

"Then it's settled." The two groups parted shortly afterwards, heading towards their respective places of residence for the evening.

* * *

The 14th of December

"So this is it, huh?"

As soon as the visitors got back, Naruto immediately whipped out his cell, dialing a certain number. As expected, Shikamaru did not believe what he was told, brushing it off as an elaborate ghost story just like the day before. Imagine his utter shock when the ice prince not only talked to him, but talked about how what the Uzumaki was saying was _actually_ true! Let's just say it took several minutes of impatient waiting for the genius to reanimate. How smug the blond was! The utter shock Chōji and Kiba displayed minutes later only added icing to the cake. Thank goodness the Nara agreed to the impromptu arrangement. Thank goodness indeed. And of course the Uchiha brothers kept their promise, making several phone calls to several people. What a night, a night the fulvous was miraculously able to sleep through unlike the prior one albeit uneasily. What a night indeed.

As the trio sat down in the appointed meeting place, they were joined by the tetrad, all seven ordering as many Prodigy Platters as they were capable of eating. Obviously, that meant ten bowls each for a certain three. Yukari was not amused. Nor was Akihiko. However, something was strange...

The blunet shrugged as he faced the flaxen. "Yeah."

"So much is going to happen today..." Arisato muttered.

Guess what the strange thing was? "Oh my god! Why aren't your hands blurs right now?! Why is there still food in front of you guys?!" You guessed it! Those three weren't eating! Shock!

"I'm not that hungry right now." The brunet sighed as she glanced at her fellow female. "After what happened yesterday..."

The peach pouted. "Seeing you _not_ gobble down so much food when it's right in front of you _isn't_ normal!" Not normal indeed...

"Hey Makoto! I challenge you to an eating contest!" A boy who had a tan complexion and faded brown hair and was dressed in a cyan hoodie approached the group, pointing directly at the blunet.

Sanada face-palmed. "Again?!"

"Not this time Mamoru." Spoke too soon. Man, this is getting _weird_.

The arrival stared at the speaker as though he had grown two heads. "NANI?!" His mouth dropped wide open. "Is the world ending?! You _never_ turn down an eating contest _especially_ against me!" Yes, it was.

"I just don't feel like it today." The cerulean sighed.

The disbelieving gasped. "Are you just going to waste those thirty Prodigy Platters then?!"

"Twenty of them are not mine." Yuki then dug a spoon into one of his dishes, _slowly _nibbling on the contents. Out of character indeed.

And then the newcomer noticed the rest of the bunch especially the new additions. "Who are you?" He gazed at the trio. "I haven't seen you around here before."

"I'm Itachi Uchiha, and this is my brother Sasuke and his friend Naruto Uzumaki." The eldest introduced, smiling. "We're here on a trip."

The questioner scratched his chin. "A trip, huh?" He quirked a brow, turning to the blunet. "Do they know...?"

"Yes, they do." The addressed affirmed. "We told them."

The asker nodded. "I see..." He then placed his hands on his hips, frowning. "Makoto, come on! It's been _forever_ since we last hung out and had an eating contest!"

"I'm not in the mood." The teal reiterated. "Maybe some other time."

The persistent had yet to give up. "Some other time?! No way!" He screamed, sweeping a hand in the direction of the trio. "It looks to me that one of those three can match our appetite. _Match_ it! Do you know how _impossible_ that is?!" His expression abruptly softened. "I can tell you're tense for some reason." He glimpsed at the other gluttons. "Same with you Arisato and...Naruto, is it?" The fulvous nodded. The speaker continued. "However, if you continue to submerge yourselves in what's currently making you miserable, you won't ever be happy; anger or anxiety will be the predominant emotions you'll experience." He crossed his arms. "Save it for when you _are_ in that situation, not when you aren't. Believe me, that helps us get past our hardships." The look in his eyes made him appear as though he was talking from personal experience.

"I guess you're right..." The stress eased from the cerulean's brow. "My appetite's coming back."

The blond and brunet exchanged a glance before turning to the two, beaming. "We want to join in on the contest!"

"Alright!" The newcomer pumped his fist before calling forth a waiter, placing his order. "Ten Prodigy Platters!" Is it a surprise the food came instantly? I wonder why...

Itachi smirked. "Once again, my treat."

"Thank you so much!" The competitors exclaimed simultaneously before redirecting their attention back to their meal. "Three! Two! One!"

Triple groans echoed in the air as four sets of utensils clinked and clanged against the numerous dishes sprawled across the table.

* * *

"Here we are."

After having finished their breakfast—a buffet for some, guess who—at Wakatsu Resturant, the group bid Mamoru farewell before going to their next appointed destination, entering the hotel room.

"Our connections sent us a list of employees that would be most likely to be persuaded into giving us some information based on background information, past actions within the corporation, position, and career goals just this morning." Sasuke explained as he set up his laptop, his brother preparing multiple.

Itachi nodded. "We also have the most prominent members of the Kirijo Group on the list." He glanced at each of the four. "Of course, your confidence is being strictly kept; we never revealed the true intent for asking for this information. We simply told them that we as Uchiha Incorporated are considering striking up a deal with the Kirijo Group, a rival magnate." He shrugged. "Of course, there is a _massive_ difference between trying to strike up a business deal and having someone spill their deepest and darkest secrets, but there is some similarity in it all; both takes a lot of persuasion, negotiation, and the right words to say."

"...Thank you so much for all of this." Minako bowed. "This is more than we could ever ask for."

Yukari beamed. "We now stand a fighting chance!"

"We would never be able to do this without you." Makoto seconded.

Sanada smiled. "We really appreciate all you have done for us."

"No problem." The eldest chuckled before sweeping a hand, gesturing to the devices. "Shall we start looking through them now?"

The tetrad agreed, heading towards their designated places. "Right."

"Each laptop contains a portion of the list, so we can get more work done faster." The younger of the siblings added. The four nodded at that, having heard.

Naruto took out his phone, dialing in a familiar number. "Did you already send this stuff to Shikamaru?"

"Yes. Under the strictest secrecy of course." His peer confirmed.

The Uzumaki sighed in relief. "That's good." He held the receiver to his ear. "Now I just need to get him linked up to us—"

"What the?!" Everyone stopped what they were doing, all attention snapping to the source of that sound. Akihiko's jaw dropped wide open, eyes popping out of his skull at the name he saw on the monitor. "Mitsuru?!"

* * *

Translation: Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Nii-san=Older brother, Nani=What

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	21. Chapter 21

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice after **Wiwu** for commenting on the same place and favoriting this along with A Distorted Reflection, A Serendipitous Encounter, Always And Forever Yours, Bijuu and You, Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità, Ghost Most, Into the Darkness of the World, Kalos Action, Kalyeserye ToYaGo!, Kingdom Hearts: Keys in the Heart of the Monster, Leaving Him Behind, Love Will Never Die, Maybe, Just Maybe..., Migawari, My Greatest Regret, My Heart's Place, Not As Simple As It Sounds, Once More, Prehistoric Heart, Scare till you're at the Top, Shellshocked, Shinobi no Pokémon, Take My Pain Away, The Depths of Love, The Merging of Realms, Three's a Crowd as well as Two Worlds Collide plus **Kbeauty120** for favoriting Always And Forever Yours in addition to **matheusstuckert** before **Ushko uzumaki** for favoriting Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Aww! Thank you so much **Wiwu**! Thank you so much for all the favorites too! XD

By the way, have you checked out Jealous? I Think Not... and Until It's Too Late yet? ;)

Okay** Jazz**! I guess I will some time! ;)

Yep! The best of luck to you! (:

Thank you so much! *gobbles down the rest of the cookies*

What an awesome day! :D

Nice addition indeed! ^_^

Yeah! ToT

Why not both? That's Itachi for you! ;)

I feel sorry for her too! DX

Well I _NEVER_ touched a computer or non-mobile device to log into this site and do stuff here! Cool, huh? :D

Nice! :3

I like how our relationship is that way! n_n

Oh wow! :O

Thanks! J:

I can't wait to read your review! (:

You'll see! ;)

Way to go Uchihas indeed! C:

That's Shikamaru for you! :D

Definitely weird! DX

Sure does! ^_^

Will she or will she not? That is the question... J:

Oh, in regards to your review in Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità, I'll answer one part of it right now; I always planned for that dark turn to be there, ever since I thought of that story. I hope it wasn't too abrupt! ^^'

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"What the?!" Everyone stopped what they were doing, all attention snapping to the source of that sound. Akihiko's jaw dropped wide open, eyes popping out of his skull at the name he saw on the monitor. "Mitsuru?!"_

Naruto blinked several times, completely confused. "Mitsuru...who?"

"No way..." Sanada whispered, not having heard the blond. "What's she doing here?!"

Yukari quirked a brow. "Eh? Why did you react that way?" She crossed her arms. "Many girls have that name you know."

"But how many look like _this?!_" And then she saw; a woman who had flowing magenta hair which framed beautiful eyes of the same color—one of them covered by lengthy bangs—and was dressed in an elegant long-sleeved lined blouse with a crimson necktie around her collar, a black skirt reaching to mid-thigh and obsidian boots stretching to just below her knees came into view as a picture on the laptop screen as Takeba walked over to where the silverette sat.

A shrill cry escaped her lips. "No way!"

"Let me see!" Arisato rushed to where her two friends were, breath caught in her throat as she viewed it as well.

Makoto was not far behind, eyes widening at the image. "...What kind of trick is the Kirijo Group playing?"

"I thought it was just a coincidence until I saw her picture." The slate muttered, stunned. His brows then furrowed, the guy clenching his fist. "Why would the Kirijo Group have a picture of Mitsuru?"

The younger of the two brothers huffed. "You should have figured this out by now; she's connected to the Kirijo Group."

"That's right." The four jumped at the new voice, having no idea where it was coming from.

The Uzumaki sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "I managed to dial in my friend's number during the commotion. This is him, Shikamaru Nara."

"H-Hello! I'm Yukari Takeba!" The peach uttered, still unsettled by the revelation.

She wasn't the only one. "N-Nice to meet you! I'm Arisato Minako!"

"It's nice for you to join us. My name is Akihiko Sanada." The charcoal introduced.

The blunet shrugged. "I'm Makoto Yuki. Hi."

"It's nice to meet all of you." The voice returned the greeting. The genius then sighed. "Anyways, getting back on topic, Sasuke is right; Mitsuru is connected to the Kirijo Group. In fact, she's its heiress."

A collective gasp rang out through the room. "Lies!" The gainsboro exclaimed. "That's Mitsuru Rojiki!" He screamed. "She's valedictorian of Gekkoukan High School. She's trilingual in English, Japanese, and French. She's the student council president. She's a member of the school fencing team. She's one of the most respected and popular students at the school." He gritted his teeth. "And she's one of my closest friends! There's no way she's the Mitsuru on this list!" He dug his nails into his palms. "The Kirijo Group must have used its influence to steal a picture of her so people who hack into the database would think Rojiki is _that_ Mitsuru when she isn't!"

"Mendokusē..." What sounded like someone rubbing their temples could be heard from the receiver. "I hate to break this to you, but you're wrong."

The silverette narrowed his eyes _dangerously_. "NANI?!" His companions stared at him in utter shock, disturbed by his uncharacteristic display of rage.

"You must have just glanced at her name and saw her picture, right?" The brilliant asked. "You would find out more once you actually scroll down and read the rest of the profile."

The slate did just that, his and his comrades' eyes widening further and further by the second. 17 years old. Valedictorian of Gekkoukan High School. Trilingual in English, Japanese, and French. Student council president. Member of the school fencing team. One of the most respected and popular students at the school. Mitsuru Kirijo. Heiress to the Kirijo Group. "...Sonna. Sonna! SONNA!" He shook his head frantically. "But her last name is Rojiki, not Kirijo!"

"How troublesome." Shikamaru sighed. After several moments, he began speaking once more. "Spell 'Rojiki' in English."

Baffled, the instructed did just that. "R-o-j-i-k-i."

"Now spell 'Kirijo' in English." Just where was this going?!

As he did so, realization dawned on him. "K-i-r-i-j-o..." His mouth dropped wide open. "This isn't possible!"

"Oh it is." The lackadaisical affirmed. "By now you should have figured out that 'Rojiki' is an anagram for 'Kirijo'."

The poor boy was _still_ in denial. "But 'Rojiki' is an actual surname!"

"There's no use in finding any excuses." The Nara snapped. "After reading the profile and comparing the information on there to what you already know, you should have figured out that Mitsuru Rojiki and Mitsuru Kirijo are one in the same."

Tears spilled out of Takeba's eyes. "So the woman I've been looking up to for a long time is related to those _monsters_ who killed and framed otou-sama?! Those horrible people who destroyed my family?!"

"Yukari..." Arisato took her friend into her arms, both crying into each other's shoulders.

Yuki appeared haunted. "To think such things actually happen in real life..."

"Mitsuru...just who are you?" Sanada whispered, looking as though his entire world had crashed on top of them. Which it did.

Itachi walked over to the four, expression soft. "This must not be easy for any of you, having one of your closest friends revealed to be part of the group making your lives miserable. I couldn't even begin to imagine the kind of betrayal that would be."

"Except no one has betrayed anyone!" The occupants of the room whirled to the face the blond, astonished by his outcry...

...except for one. "Of course, I knew you would say that Naruto." Shikamaru muttered. "But how would you know that for sure?"

"Does the profile actually _say _anything about her activities in the Kirijo Group?!" The Uzumaki demanded.

The genius was caught off guard by that. "...All it says is that she's training to take over the corporation as heiress; she hasn't actually done anything within the company itself as of yet."

"Exactly!" The fulvous retorted. "You can't just automatically label someone a traitor _just_ because they are a part of a certain group! No one can choose who they are born to after all! Since Mitsuru hasn't _actually_ been involved with the Kirijo Group, she hasn't done anything wrong!" He whipped his head, turning to stare at the tetrad. "If Mitsuru is actually one of your closest friends, don't just write her off as a traitor! Don't jump to conclusions! See what she has to say for herself!"

To everyone's—save for one's—shock, the Nara actually laughed. "...As expected of Naruto. I knew you would say that." Seriousness took over his voice once again. "He's right; we know Mitsuru Kirijo is the heiress to the Kirijo Group and is therefore connected. However, what we don't know is if she had any role to play in the Tartarus Incident or not...and there's only one way to find out for sure—"

"And that's that we ask her ourselves." Sanada interjected, taking out his own cell phone, dialing in a certain number.

After several tense moments, the ringing stopped. "Akihiko? Quoi de neuf?"

"We need to talk, Mitsuru." The silverette grounded out.

The terse tone did not go missed. "Eh? Akihiko? Est ce que tu vas bien?"

"I'm _not_ okay." He gritted. "We need to meet up as soon as possible."

A sigh could be heard from the other end of the line. "Fine, fine. Let's meet up at the Naganaki Shrine in Iwatodai. Of course, it's not far from the dorms, so it won't take too long to get there."

"And why don't we just meet up in the dorms?" The charcoal wondered, perplexed.

The speaker huffed. "It's not good to stay indoors for so long. I want some fresh air."

"Fine. We'll be there at 4:00pm." Sanada conceded. "Takeba, Minako, Yuki, and I are occupied with something right now."

The addressed hummed. "I don't remember us being assigned any homework or projects over the weekend..." She then shrugged. "Fine, 4:00pm it is." She subsequently hung up, ending the conversation.

"Let's do as much as we possibly can until then." Shikamaru spoke, drawing all attention back to him. "Like I said...we don't know if Mitsuru actually knows anything or not, despite being heiress to the Kirijo Group. Therefore, we still need to compile a list of other possible candidates to...interview."

The eight spent the remainder of the time they had to search through what the Uchihas had gathered, the apprehension of what was to come impossible to deny.

* * *

"Here we are."

The seven stood on a stone path that diverged toward several crimson torii and to the steps of an elaborate temple bearing a myriad of jagged tags above the entrance, twin quadrupedal creatures possessing large manes flanking the front. Right before the appointed hour, the bunch prepared to go, the Nara taking his leave. However, since the hotel the three was staying at wasn't too far from the dorms, the walk to the determined place took only a matter of minutes. Thank goodness.

Naruto stared at the surroundings, awestruck. "So this is the Naganaki Shrine?"

"Yes." Makoto nodded. "This shrine was once tended to by an old monk before his death."

Minako continued. "He was killed in an unfortunate accident. However, this temple is still being protected."

"A Shiba Inu by the name of Koromaru stands guard here, protecting it from anyone with mal intent." Akihiko added.

Yukari squealed. "Koromaru is so cute! I _love_ playing with him!"

"Why hello there." The new voice cut through the air, drawing all attention to the newcomer.

A woman who was the spitting image of the one in the photo approached, Sanada walking over to her. "Mitsuru."

"Akihiko." The female greeted back. The guests then caught her eye, a confused expression appearing on her face. "Wait...aren't those the Uchiha brothers?"

The elder of the two nodded. "Yes, we are." He smiled. "I'm Itachi Uchiha." He then gestured to his sibling and the blond. "And this is my otouto Sasuke and his friend Naruto Uzumaki. We're here on a trip."

"It's nice to meet you three." The redhead bowed, the trio returning the gesture.

The younger of the pair quirked a brow. "How do you know of us?"

"Hein? Isn't it obvious?" She pressed, crossing her arms. "Uchiha Incorporated is a world magnate that has influence all over. The heirs are some very valued people."

The silverette sighed impatiently. "Let's get down to business." He subsequently began looking around. "We need to find a place where we can talk in private."

"Akihiko? What's up with you? You're not acting like yourself." The magenta questioned, leaning in close. "Are you feeling okay?"

The slate hesitated to respond. "...Let's just go." The eight stepped into the establishment, finding themselves in a secluded alcove. After making sure no one else was there or within earshot, the guy began speaking once more. "Who are you really?"

"Qu'est-ce que l?! What are you talking about?!" The burgundy demanded. "I'm one of your closest friends, Mitsuru Rojiki!"

Sanada scoffed. "Mitsuru Rojiki? Or should I say Mitsuru _Kirijo_."

"H-How?!" The discovered demanded, at a loss for words. "How did you find out?!"

Yukari gasped. "So it's actually true?! You're heiress to the Kirijo Group?!"

"No way..." Arisato murmured.

Yuki shook his head. "Naze da?"

"I can't believe it." The gainsboro clenched a fist, teeth gritting. "So it's really _not_ some sick convoluted lie." His face was the epitome of rage at that moment. "HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME?! TO ALL OF US?!"

The accused hung her head in shame. "...I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" The slate sneered. "'Sorry' doesn't cut it!" Melancholy replaced his fury. "To think one of my closest friends is a Kirijo..."

The flaxen could not take it anymore. "YAMERO!" Everyone froze at the fulvous's outburst. He narrowed his eyes. "It's not right to just turn on one of your friends like this! Didn't I tell you before?!" He hissed. "Give her a chance to explain herself!" He then turned to the magenta, expression softening. "Why did you tell your friends your surname is Rojiki when it's actually Kirijo? Why did you not tell them the truth?"

"It's because..." Mitsuru began, heavy guilt evident in her features. "...I'm not allowed to."

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Mendokusē=How troublesome, Nani=What, Sonna=No way, otou-sama=father, Shiba Inu=Little Brushwood Dog, otouto=little brother, Naze da=Why, Yamero=Stop

•French: Quoi de neuf=What's up, Est ce que tu vas bien=Are you okay, Hein=Huh, Qu'est-ce que l=What the

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	22. Chapter 22

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice followed by thirteen of my author's notes—three of them two times—preliminary to **CrypticRebel** for doing the latter after **Loriel Fluer** for commenting on the first as well as **yukino76** for evaluating the former tailed by favoriting and following—**Tj56** for just doing the last pair for that also including Always And Forever Yours sans leaving out Not As Simple As It Sounds—plus **TinkerBell2019** for following in addition to **Entermate-Phantom **&amp; **HikariNoTenshiJakii** for favoriting Kalyeserye ToYaGo! along with **Axelforlife2468** for favoriting prior to following Love Will Never Die in addition to **FallenAngelHerondale** for favoriting before following Not As Simple As It Sounds not forgetting **soulsaberdragon**, **Neon12134 **anterior to **Mattgenesis** for favoriting Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Sure **Jazz**! (:

You're welcome! J:

Yep! Ü

Both indeed! XD

It takes _QUITE_ a bit of practice! :3

Oh it's fine! ^_^

Will she? You'll see! ;)

That's cool! :D

We'll see! C:

Really?! O_O

Just a mention? Or not? :P

No problem indeed! J:

Tell your friend I said 'you're very welcome'! I'M SO FLATTERED! XD

Do you know how far she got into the finale? And if she will ever actually finish it? :P

By the way, have you actually read Hakkōna yet? If not, could you please give it a try? I worked _REALLY_ hard on it and I would _LOVE_ to see what you think! (:

Oh...and for Unknown aka Young Xehanort, have you ever went here to look for tips in strategy? :D

khwiki(d)com/Game:Young_Xehanort

Haha! I'm glad I got you into SasuNaru **Loriel Fluer**! ^_^

Sorry about the exams though! ^^'

Here's the real chapter 22 **CrypticRebel**! Enjoy! (:

Thanks **yukino76**! C:

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"It's because..." Mitsuru began, heavy guilt evident in her features. "...I'm not allowed to."_

A sudden and unimaginable fury possessed the slate. "NOT ALLOWED TO?!" Let's just say it took everyone else present to keep him restrained. "YOU'RE THE HEIRESS TO THE KIRIJO GROUP! HOW COULD YOU NOT?!" An animalistic growl left his lips. "DON'T LIE TO ME! YOU HAVE LIED TO ME—TO US—FOR FAR TOO LONG!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Akihiko calm down!" Naruto commanded as he tightened his grip on the other's arms. "Don't you remember what I said just earlier?! That it's not right to just turn on one of your friends like this?! To give her a chance to explain herself?!"

The charcoal took a multitude of _deep_ deep breaths, rage slowly dying down. Once he was deemed no longer about to lash out, he was released, a calm façade taking hold of his face as he faced the magenta, expression hardened. "Mitsuru, why did you hide the fact you're heiress to the Kirijo Group for so long?"

"Oh Akihiko." The lady walked up, gently cupping his face. "I'm so sorry for not being truthful with you from the beginning, for not telling you my real surname and who I actually am." She glanced at her other friends. "Same goes for you three." She let go of the guy's cheeks, regret shining through as she took several steps back, gazing at all those in attendance before beginning. "Unlike Uchiha heirs, Kirijo heirs must be kept secret."

A black brow quirked. "That doesn't make any sense." Sasuke crossed his arms, dubious. "If you're eventually going to take over the Kirijo Group, people are eventually going to know who you are anyways." Hands moved to hips. "Why hide it at all if that's the case?"

"I have to agree with my otouto in that regard." All eyes turned to Itachi as he spoke. "It doesn't make any sense whatsoever to withhold that kind of information if it will all become known to all anyways in due time."

The burgundy nodded. "I see where you two are coming from and understand why you're skeptical." A melancholic glint entered lavender hues. "But the reason Kirijo heirs are kept a secret...is because the Kirijo Group is wary of any possible assassination attemp—"

"Asassination attempts?!" The Sanada's mouth dropped wide open. "Tell me you're joking!"

A head shook. "I wish I was." Violet depths were cast down. "The Kirijo Group is _far_ more paranoid than Uchiha Incorporated is, which is why 'Mitsuru Kirijo' has been kept a secret for so long." Her eyes widened. "How did you guys find out anyways?!"

"We used our connections to gather intel on the Kirijo Group, including some on you." The younger of the two brothers stated.

The Uzumaki shrugged. "And one of my friends figured out 'Rojiki' is an anagram of 'Kirijo'."

"Je vois..." Slow nod.

A sole silver hue widened. "Something doesn't add up though." Makoto scratched his chin.

"Yeah, I agree." Minako seconded. "If the Kirijo Group is so scared of assassination attempts, why were you allowed to attend Gekkoukan High School? Why weren't you just tutored?"

Realization dawned on Yukari. "She's right! It's much easier for someone to be assassinated when there are thousands of possible suspects aroun—"

"The thing is..." The interrogated cut back in. "...the Kirijo Group actually wants its heirs to be exposed to an environment surrounded by people so they can obtain first-hand experience on how to interact with people, something that cannot be obtained from simply tutoring. Interaction is an important part of operating a business—however large or small—after all."

The gainsboro frowned. "That's why you were 'Mitsuru Rojiki' not 'Mitsuru Kirijo'...right?"

"Exactly." Nod. Her expression darkened even further. "And there's another reason..." Tears came to those purple eyes. "I didn't want any of you to be put in danger! I didn't want to see any of my friends disappear and be found with Apathy Syndrome!" She wept. "That could easily happen with the Kirijo Group's enormous power and influence! Even I as the heiress wouldn't be able to stop that!"

The slate's features softened. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you earlier; that was both unfair and uncalled for." It was his turn to bear heavy guilt. "Rojiki or Kirijo, you're still you; you're still valedictorian of Gekkoukan High School, you're still trilingual in English, Japanese, and French, you're still the student council president, you're still a member of the school fencing team, you're still one of the most respected and popular students at the school, and you're still one of my closest friends...Mitsuru."

"Je vous remercie...Akihiko." Tears of sadness morphed into those of happiness.

Naruto chuckled. "You know, he actually had a hard believing you were connected to the Kirijo Group, making up all sorts of excuses even after he read your profile."

"W-What are you getting at?!" The charcoal's eyes narrowed.

Vulpine smirk. "Nothing, nothing..." Oh we all know it wasn't nothing.

"Anyways..." Everyone's attention snapped onto Sasuke as he turned to the magenta. "...do you have any information that could be of use to us? Do you know anything?"

Bangs hid both burgundy orbs. "Yes I do...although it's not much." All eyes glued onto the speaker, absorbing every piece of information about to be offered. "My grandfather, Kouetsu Kirijo, enacted some top secret experiments about fourteen years ago. I know nothing about what they actually were, except for one term whispered in the most quiet of whispers...Shadow."

"Shadow?!" Question marks floated above the blond's head. "As in the dark areas or shapes produced by bodies coming between rays of light and a surface?!"

The explainer shook her head. "No...but another of a completely different kind. I don't know what they are though. However, about ten years ago, an experiment went completely wrong and all the researchers and my grandfather lost their lives...including Eiichiro Takeba."

"Otou-sama!" Yukari had to be held in Minako's arms as she cried, the recollections of her father's untimely demise haunting her. "So it really wasn't otou-sama's fault!"

Nod. "...Yes. I'm so sorry for withholding this from you." After a moment's pause, she continued. "My father, Takeharu Kirijo, was the only survivor of that incident."

"Then we have to go question him!" The peach cried out, fist pumping.

Magenta hues were completely hidden, salty streams flowing from them. "No, that isn't possible."

"Why?" Itachi prompted. "Why are we unable to?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "If he's the survivor of that incident ten years ago, which was when the Dark Hour started, then he'll kno—"

"HE'S DEAD!" The sudden scream shocked the raven into silence, everyone present frozen at the horrifying revelation. Mitsuru wept. "After the mass disappearance of those police officers, my father finally had enough." Hands covered her face. "He was about to reveal everything to everyone when—" Choked sob. "...he was murdered by one of the higher ups Shuji Ikutsuki!"

A mouth dropped. "Isn't he the new principle of Gekkoukan High School?!" The Sanada demanded. "I thought he was a dummy director completely under the Kirijo Group's thumb!"

"He poses himself as one..." A head shook. "...when he's actually the current head of the Kirijo Group."

All mouths dropped. "But you're the heiress!" Arisato gasped. "How is this possible?!"

"It's apparently because I'm not 18 yet and therefore too young to take over." Her expression darkened. "But I know that even when my birthday comes around, he'll still remain in control. I just know it."

The elder Uchiha jumped in. "Just why is he posing as the head of Gekkoukan High School?"

"I believe it's to prevent any information regarding the Dark Hour from leaking out and..." Gulp. "...to keep an eye on me."

Yuki's breath caught in his throat. "...Since you're the heiress."

"Precisely." Sigh. "Shuji Ikutsuki doesn't trust me at all which is why he's posing as the so called dummy director so he can keep track of my movements." Sobs suddenly wracked her frame as more tears poured out. "Ever since my father was murdered and that man—" Spat "—took over, I've been miserable! I had to paste a plastic smile on my face, fake being happy as that man continues to meddle in and ruin my life!"

Ebon orbs leered. "Then why don't you do something about it?" Sasuke pried. "If you hate it so much, why haven't you tried anything to change the situation?"

"Easy for you to say." Burgundy orbs glared. "You're not the one who has had your father murdere—"

SLAP! All eyes popped out of their skulls as they took in the sight of the one who had delivered that blow. "I DID!" Yukari screamed, streams flowing as her face twisted into a scowl. "My father was murdered during that accident ten years ago and he had all the blame placed on him! My life was _destroyed_ because of that!" Determination blazed on in peach eyes as they bore into stunned magenta ones. "I did nothing because I couldn't do anything; there was no possible way I could go about clearing my father's name!" Those eyes narrowed. "However, ever since these three—" She gestured to Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi "—came here, I've received that chance and grabbed it! That's why I'm investigating the Kirijo Group with Makoto, Arisato, and Akihiko! That's why we're confronting you!" Those eyes subsequently softened. "The pain of having someone close to you killed is excruciating, I would know." She placed her hands on the violet's trembling shoulders. "But we cannot go about doing nothing if we can do something! Our fathers deserve better than never receiving justice! Never being avenged!"

"Takeba..." Eyes remained wide, a mouth remained agape at the resolve blazing on...before that same resolve spread to her, fists clenching. "You're right." Tears dried completely, a raging fire burning on in purple depths. "I'll fight for the Kirijo name, to redeem it." Her fist pumped. "I remember...yes...with my father's death, I lost my purpose in life...but now I have something to live for. No longer will I run from the future! I will face it head on, carrying out my father's will! I am resolved and without reservation." She then stopped, gazing at each person present before continuing. "I owe it all to my invaluable friends...and we have promised to never lose hope, no matter what tomorrow may bring."

The peach beamed. "That's right Mitsuru!"

"I'm glad." Makoto smiled.

Minako laughed. "Yes! She's back!"

"Thank goodness." Akihiko sighed, a fond expression on his face as he shook his head.

Sasuke huffed. "Good."

"Alright!" Naruto beamed.

Itachi's lips quirked up. "Incredible."

"And I know what we will do!" The woman cried out. "We'll infiltrate the school at night and enter the Dark Hour so we can end this once and for all!" There was not a shred of hesitation in her. "We can't let this happen any longer! We must stop the Tartarus Incident at all costs!"

The Uzumaki leapt, cheering. "Count me in!"

"You sure?!" The Sanada's eyes bugged. "You three have already done more than enough for us and you could lose your lives!"

His peer shook his head. "That won't stop him." He grunted. "Alright, count me in."

"Sasuke?!" Blue eyes widened into saucers. "Why are you agreeing so willingly?!"

Grunt. "I can't let you go off by yourself. Remember last time?" Oh _that_ incident back in Lumiose City, huh?

"Teme!" Humph. Blush.

The eldest smirked. "Count me in as well."

"You three..." Minako crouched down in the deepest of bows. "Thank you so much!"

The peach sniffled. "That's so kind and selfless!"

"Yes, it is." Yuki agreed.

A fist pumped. "Then it's settled! The eight of us—"

"WOOF! WOOF!" A grey Shiba bearing a white face and underside along with crimson eyes came charging in, cutting the magenta off as it collided into her.

The tackled chuckled, scratching the canine's ears as she stood back up. "Hello Koromaru."

"Whoa! That's the dog you guys were telling us about?!" The blond beamed. "I bet he and Akamaru will be great friends!"

A burgundy brow quirked. "Who's Akamaru?"

"Oh..." Flush. "...he's a Great Pyrenees owned by one of my best friends!"

Slow nod. "I see..." A question floated in violet depths. "What's Koromaru doing here?"

"I bet he wants to help!" Yukari exclaimed. "Right Koromaru?"

A tail wagged, ecstatic barks resounding. "ARF! ARF!"

"Well, it's good to have such a brave animal coming with us." Makoto shrugged.

Akihiko nodded. "He will be able to smell and warn us of anyone coming our way."

"Koromaru will be a big help!" Minako giggled.

Naruto grinned. "This is awesome."

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged.

Itachi smirked. "This is just what we needed."

"It's set then!" Mitsuru announced. "The nine of us will go tonight!"

* * *

"Here."

The eight people and the pooch were gathered in a circle in the entrance to the academy, the lavender scattering a stack of cards before them. The trio was amongst them, all three now possessing guns like the others. Must be prepared.

The Sanada quirked a brow. "So we're going with the tarot game?"

"This night will be scary enough." The woman countered. "We do not need a scary or ghost story to terrify us before the horror will even begin."

Shrug. "Alright." It was 11:59pm. In one minute...

"Let's start then." The lady placed a hand on one sheet, flipping it over. "Empress."

Makoto shrugged, mimicking her action with his own. "Fool 0."

"Fool 22." It was Minako's.

Akihiko went next. "Star."

"Lovers." Yukari followed.

Naruto took his turn. "Sun."

"Justice." That was Sasuke.

Itachi went. "Judgement."

"ARF!" Koromoru got Strength.

The clock struck 12:00am.

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: otouto=little brother, Otou-sama=Father

•French: Je vois=I see, Je vous remercie=Thank you

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	23. Chapter 23

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice followed by sixty-nine of my author's notes—Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato too also **SakurAndrea**, **maryranstadler1** including **Magentacrazedgirl8** for performing that however favoriting anterior to following afterwards notwithstanding **Arthur Kirkland's Scones** &amp; **Waterheart Dragon** only enacting the first yet the latter also commenting on Kimyōna, Komisch, Caldo close to Paws and Feet—**yukino76** but not **guest** for doing the former once each in addition to **LeoJackPeter**, **AkashiSeijuro105**—the same with Not As Simple As It Sounds, **KitsuneMutsuki** as well as **Hardpointz** for favoriting and following not forgetting **hopelessfreakz** with **Knaruto** for following after **OscarTosk** for favoriting this along with A Serendipitous Encounter, Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf, Hakkōna—**WildCardSpadeMode** later, Kaitō Kokoro, Leaving Him Behind lastly Two Worlds Collide—**BlackSpike91** next to **JustCallMeLucie **for solely giving those two for this story—also **Metarex** for performing the first on that list then **zephineros** for favoriting Bijuu and You subsequently **CapitalClassShip** for favoriting inclusive to following Ghost Most simultaneously with Kingdom Hearts: Keys in the Heart of the Monster posterior to Sora in Stockholm before **ongyenbee98** for favoriting Jealous? I Think Not... prior to **Kat2177** for following Kaitō Kokoro preliminary to **CatLoverx33** accompanied by **ramenfan101** for favoriting Kalyeserye ToYaGo! begrudgingly **blazenite104** for critiquing Shinobi no Pokémon later **AshHoffman **sooner **Greatwestern1522** for favoriting different to **97kingdomwolf** for following Sora in Stockholm! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

That's great **Jazz**! Practice makes perfect! (:

As expected indeed! ;)

Yep! :3

HAHAHA! XD

I want to beat in Ikutsuki's face and feed him to Thanatos too! DX

I'm glad you like the reference! Thanks! ^_^

So true! Neither Sasuke nor Itachi would _EVER_ let anything happen to Naruto! (:

Are you okay?! *Runs over with bandages and antiseptic*

Thanks! J:

Yeah, stay tuned! :D

Yep indeed! ^_^

Oh wow! (:

Really? Is that story any good? "?

Nice! C:

By the way, did you know I finished this chapter in my dorm? :1

Thank you so much **yukino76**! XD

Shut up **guest**. Keep your homophobic bullcrap to yourself. Ò_Ó

Yeah **SakurAndrea**... ):

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me...whoever said that is the greatest liar there ever was and will be. Words can destroy alright. /:

No problem! ^_^

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'M FAR, FAR TOO FLATTERED! *SUPER SUPERNOVA!*

I'm glad you like Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato **maryranstadler1**! (:

Thanks **Magentacrazedgirl8**! J:

I really appreciate all your compliments **Waterheart Dragon**! ^u^

I'm so ecstatic that you enjoyed your one-shot **Arthur Kirkland's Scones**! XD

Don't like, don't read **blazenite104**. No need to leave such rude comments. My story, my rules. -_-

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The clock struck 12:00am._

Trembling. Terrible. Trembling. A terrible trembling suddenly overtook the entire premises, nearly knocking the nine off their feet. A terrible trembling that was definitely _not_ expected.

Panic could not even begin to describe what Naruto felt at that moment. "ARE WE HAVING AN EARTHQUAKE?!"

"Everything doesn't suddenly turn green when an earthquake occurs dobe." Sasuke deadpanned.

The insulted sneered. "Why you b—WAIT WHAT?!" It was just as the guy said; the walls, the floor, the ceiling, everything around the group had gained an ominous green tint. That was not normal in the slightest.

"OH MY GOD!" Yukari shrieked. "COULD THINGS GET ANY WORSE?!"

Of course they could. "MON DIEU!" I would call the blood suddenly pooling on the ground out of nowhere things getting worse. Wouldn't you?

"This is what happens during the Dark Hour?!" Akihiko just could not believe what his eyes were seeing.

Nor could Makoto. "Apparently." Too bad neither were lying to them.

"We must take a picture as proof—" Uh oh! Itachi's phone wasn't working!

Minako shook her head. "I guess electronics don't work while we're in the Dark Hour, huh?"

"It would have been nice if we were able to know in advance." All eyes glued onto Mitsuru as she calmed down, collecting herself. "But we had no way of being able to." A magenta gaze stared into each and every of the other eight present. "Therefore, despite having this newfound handicap, we must continue."

The elder Uchiha gave a single nod. "Yes, we must—"

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" And then they saw; a fiend crept closer, closer, oh so closer...dripping more of the crimson liquid as it gazed at all present through the soulless sockets on the mast it held, a dagger in each of its many ebon arms. Out of the frying pan and into the oven.

A gasp escaped the Uzumaki's lips. "Is that...a Shadow?!"

"I-I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case!" Takeba took an involuntary step back as unadulterated fear began to possess her.

The Kirijo took a determined step forward. "We can't let terror take control of us!"

"WOOF! WOOF!" Koromaru was the first to act, barreling straight into the foe. However, said foe lashed a tentacle, the dog barely avoiding a sharpened blade as he was whipped, hardly able to regain his balance midair before landing on all fours, flinching as he did so.

Arisato rushed over to the stricken Shiba, a gasp escaping from her lips upon reaching his side. "Are you alright?!"

"RUFF! RUFF!" The pooch was more than alright, standing straight and tall as he regained his composure.

BAM! That sudden shot shocked some as it loudly rang out, blue smoke steaming from Yuki's pistol. Coincidentally, smoke of the same color steamed from a hole where the monster's heart should have been, it wailing in agony as it clutched at its chest, thrashing about violently. A sole silver hue flicked up, its owner turning to face the trio. "These guns are known as Evokers and their bullets Personas...since the bullets take on the personalities of those who fire them."

"How?" The blond was more than a little confused.

And let's just say Sasuke was no different. "How is that possible?"

"What do you mean by that?" Itachi was the same.

Arisato took over. "These guns are special." Ruby hues glanced at the object in their possessor's hands. "They were developed by S.E.E.S—Special Extracurricular Execution Squad—and given to each student attending Gekkoukan High School. We were told each Evoker can sense the personality of its wielder and accommodates its abilities to fit its wielder."

"They are based off of tarot cards." The cerulean resumed. "In fact, they seem to reflect the exact Arcana we drew just minutes ago to enter the Dark Hour."

The eldest caught on. "So your shot reflected Fool 0, Yuki-kun?"

"Precisely." A shrug was offered. "The Fool represents unlimited potential. Therefore, the shots my Evoker fires will change depending on what the situation calls for." He glanced back at the wailing foe. "My bullet served to essentially paralyze this Shadow and prevent it from attacking for the time being."

The brunet cut back in. "Since I'm Fool 22, my Evoker basically has the same abilities as Makoto's." She fired as though to prove a point, the ear-splitting shriek of utmost agony following the chestnut trail proving that very point.

"Wow..." A wide grin abruptly graced the flaxen's face. "Alright! We can fight back!"

A smirk crossed the Sanada's lips. "Yes we can!" A grey cloud blasted from the muzzle of the weapon he possessed, the torment of the being only amplifying as the effects of the other two shots only seemed to increase exponentially. "My tarot is the Star, which indicates a generous spirit. Therefore, my shots will amplify the effects of shots that were previously fired!"

"Don't leave me out Akihiko!" A magenta trail cannoned from Mitsuru's Evoker, distracting the monster as it couldn't help but stare before crying out in severe pain as the shot landed its mark. "I'm the Empress which represents beauty. Mine will distract enemies before damaging them harshly—"

Preoccupied, the Kirijo almost missed the knived tentacle swinging her way, only catching onto its ever-nearing approach...but too late. It almost struck—"WATCH OUT!"—only for a peach stream to rocket forth, deflecting the attempt faster than the blink of an eye.

"Takeba..." That one word, that last name slipped past stunned lips as the magenta stared at her savior.

Yukari smiled. "The Lovers have a strong bond with each other. Therefore, my shots will act the fastest to protect those who matter most!"

"...Je vous remercie." The lady was truly grateful after all.

The thanked beamed. "No problem!"

"Now's not the time to be celebrating." The females snapped toward Sasuke, taking witness as the Shadow shrilled in agony that went unmatched by any of the prior shots. Even a wailing banshee couldn't compare to how bloodcurdling and bone-chilling that single scream was, that single scream caused by that purple stream. The guy humphed. "Mine seems to deal the most damage due to me being Justice."

Itachi chuckled. "Orokana otouto. Do not think yours is the best just because yours causes the most harm." Ebon orbs watched as the owner of a similar pair aimed at his target, his crimson bullet striking the creature straight in the heart. "Since my tarot is Judgement, my shots have the most accuracy." He shrugged. "Where the damage is dealt is also important; even a weak strike could have drastic effects when dealt in the right place."

"Nii-san..." Black eyes rolled.

However, before a retort could be made, a deafening roar rang out, all freezing in place as the foe lunged ahead—"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE US!"—only for that roar to morph into a shrill shriek as a blinding flash suddenly overtook the space, forcing it to cover its face in an attempt to shield itself solely to be made unable to by the yellow shot that cannoned into its chest.

"...Usuratonkachi." Seriously, Sasuke _really_ did not expect that. At. All.

Naruto humphed. "Teme." There was no denying the relief that flashed across the Uzumaki's features though.

"I'm guessing that since you're the Sun, your shots can blind the enemy while the bullet strikes as said enemy is staggered. You used that ability to save my little brother, am I right?" One could _swear_ the oldest's lips had quirked up.

A blush redder than the tomatoes a certain someone loves eating so much ignited across the blond's features. "I-ITACHI!"

"D-Dobe." And let's just say that certain someone matched that shade in no time flat.

BAM! White smoke sizzled from the pistol held in the pooch's maw, the resulting blast knocking the intended back a considerable distance. The three snapped up, watching as the Shadow screeched in dying agony, its form dissipating into thousands of black specks before disappearing altogether.

"WOOF! WOOF!" Dropping his Evoker for the time being, Koromaru rushed up to Yukari, tail tagging wildly as he waited to be pet. It was as though he had just fetched a ball and not killed a monster.

And of course he got what he wanted. "That was some Strength!" Takeba cooed as she bent down, happily scratching the dog's ears. "Who's a good boy? You are! Yes you are!" She giggled as he eagerly licked her cheek.

"Ahem." The pair instantly ceased what they were doing as Mitsuru spoke up. "We can't waste any time; we must continue our advance."

And continue they did.

* * *

"What the?!"

Blood, blood everywhere. Blood stained the halls as puddles, the nine having to watch their step in order to avoiding stepping into any. That would be gross.

But that was not the most unsettling part. Nor was the green that plagued every surface. No, it was something else, something else entirely...

The peach was more than perturbed by what was going on. "Just what's happening?!"

"...I don't know." Minako was no different.

Nor was Makoto. "How is this even possible?"

"...No idea." And Akihiko really didn't know.

That left Naruto more than a little unnerved. "What's wrong?!"

"The halls seemed to have changed." The Kirijo explained. "Normally, the hall we are in would take us to the Student Council room...but it isn't. Even without the blood and green glow, none of this looks familiar."

Sasuke grunted. "I wonder why that is?"

"There's the answer." And then they saw; joining Itachi at the nearest window, they could see what appeared to be the base of a towering tower, the rest of the gigantic edifice—some outcrops appearing to be the heads of ferocious dragons—seeming to stab straight into the sky.

A lump was swallowed down Mitsuru's throat. "Where are we?!"

"Why we are in Tartarus." That voice did not belong to any of the nine.

And was only recognized by one. "You are S—"

Everything became black.

* * *

"...Where are we?"

As nine sets of eyes slowly opened, they fell upon unfamiliar surroundings. Surroundings completely unfamiliar even to those who normally roamed the place on a day-to-day basis. The white walls—somehow not having changed color—were not familiar. The sterilized smell was not familiar. The miscellaneous lab equipment strewn about was not familiar. That large coffin lying on the ground was not familiar with a Shadow creeping closer, closer, oh so closer—wait what?!

Those nine sets of eyes watched as that Shadow approached the sarcophagus, knived tentacles prying the lid open, pulling out what appeared to be an unconscious teenager. Masked face grinning wickedly, the fiend made to devour the hapless human—

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"GRR!"

—only for nine shots to simultaneously fire, all piercing the creature in the heart, the victim clutching at its chest in a desperate attempt to stem the flow of fluids from its wounds...all in vain as it died a violent death, dispersing into a show of gory black sparks. At least the guy was safe...for now.

Wait a second...where are they?! Why is that person in that coffin?! Why are their guns still there?! But only the second question mattered as the group rushed to that structure, throwing the top back open. Yukari was the first to shake him. "Wake up!"

"Please!" Arisato was next.

Followed by Yuki. "Get up."

"You can't be sleeping here!" The Kirijo cried.

And then the Sanada. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"OPEN YOUR EYES ALREADY!" Naruto was not gentle as he took his turn.

Sasuke grunted. "Tch...don't play dead."

"Please don't be dead." Genuine worry entered Itachi's normally stoic sable. "Pleas—"

"You all should be more concerned about yourselves." Steady footsteps echoed across the space, only getting louder and louder as their origin approached evermore.

A snarl escaped Takeba's lips. "I should have known!"

"You monster!" Minako growled.

A glare brimming with the most vicious of hate was aimed by Makoto at the newcomer. "You..."

"HOW COULD YOU?!" Akihiko screamed.

A volatile mixture of fury and fear swirled within violet depths. "So you're behind this?! You're the one who's behind the Dark Hour and everything that's been going on for the past ten years?!" That volatile mixture only intensified with each passing second. "...Were you the one who had all the blame put on Eiichrio Takeba, Yukari's father?!"

"Maybe? Maybe not? Who knows?" A malevolent cackle sounded as the source came into view, a middle-aged man who sported glasses and a goatee along with wavy beige locks as well as wearing a tan jacket over a mahogany turtleneck glancing at each and every one of the nine with nothing but contempt in dark brown depths that lacked any sort of light.

Koromaru was more than ready to tear him apart. "GRR! GRRRR! GRRRRRRR!"

"Who the heck are you?!" Naruto was immediately on his guard.

So was Sasuke. "What is your objective?"

"Tell us who you are!" Most people would run for their lives at the utterly _murderous_ glare sent by none other than Itachi. _Most. _Too bad the arrival was completely unfazed by it.

However, the man did not have to as a name slipped past Mitsuru's growling lips. "Shuji Ikutsuki..."

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, Nii-san=Older brother

•French: Mon Dieu=My God, Je vous remercie=Thank you

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	24. Chapter 24

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter twice followed by one hundred and thirty-four of my author's notes—**Guest** for speaking in one—plus **yukino76** prior to **CrypticRebel** for doing the first once each as **PrinceOfShadows1** had talked in one of my author's notes—but not **guest** for rudely doing the same thing eight times—also favoriting encompassed by following—**deep blue secret** just enacting the latter whereas **XxxxxxxXxxxxxxX my fence** &amp; **uniconnyaaan** did so for the former while **Bravemaridin** and **Threws** did both—in addition to **AkashiSeijuro105**—inclusive to Maybe, Just Maybe...—later **Winter Anime Fan** for favoriting Bijuu and You as well as **DemigodHalliwell** for favoriting Don't Hide, Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità, Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato, Of the Third World along with Paws and Feet not forgetting **Anon** for commenting on chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, lastly 7 sans leaving out Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf with **Guest** evaluating chapters 4 next 8 of the former then Hakkōna—including **Maiun** who secondly favorited—before **Le Fez-Wearing Husky**, **Maddy Skellington Liddel**, **Gummy-bears28** leading to **YaoiBunny8702** for favoriting Kaitō Kokoro preliminary to **Taeras** for favoriting Hakkōna anterior to **TheGhostlySilverFox** for evaluating, favoriting posterior to following Sora in Stockholm while mentioning **Pipigi** for favoriting My Greatest Regret, My Heart's Place, Take My Pain Away eventually Until It's Too Late too joining **Bloodline Purger** remembering **Ashura Phantom Ryu**—who also favorited—for following Shinobi no Pokémon towards **Inasaku** for favoriting Gankona, Unnachiegbig, Unità finally **Chibi Dr S** for favoriting Seebeck Effect—this user assessing the final chapter of Gankona, Unnachiegbig, Unità afterwards—ultimate to **Azarath235** for favoriting Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thank you so much **yukino76**! ^_^

No problem **CrypticRebel**! (:

Thanks **PrinceOfShadows1**! :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH **Anon** AND **Guest**! ^o^

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR KIND COMMENTS **Maiun**! XD

You know I have another Itapan story called Kaitō Kokoro! Feel free to check it out too! ;)

Umm...thanks **Chibi Dr S**? Truth be told, I never read nor watched Boku no Pico before; I only heard of it. /:

They should have had popcorn indeed! :D

Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

"Jazz, can you and the fag please do this shit through pm instead of the chapters and comment section?Losers."

First of all **guest**, if you couldn't tell, **Jazz** is _ALSO_ a guest reviewer, so PMing would be _IMPOSSIBLE_; this is the _ONLY_ way we can keep contact. _OF COURSE_ we would PM if we could. Second, we are _NOT_ losers. Third and lastly, for your information, I am a straight girl, so therefore 'the fag' isn't even an accurate insult. What's wrong with me being a LGBTQIA ally anyways? If this bothers you so much, please ignore what **Jazz** and I are doing. No need to insult us.

"Kill yourself, fucked up virgin fag."

"Kill yourself, disgusting delusional pathetic fucked up fatass psycho virgin fag."

"Kill yourself, disgusting delusional pathetic fucked up fugly psycho fatass virgin fag."

"Kill yourselves, disgusting delusional pathetic fugly fucked up fatass virgin fags."

"Kill yourself, disgusting delusional pathetic fucked up fugly fatass virgin fag."

"Kill yourself, delusional disgusting pathetic fucked up fugly fatass psycho virgin fags."

Gee, I wonder how you know what **Jazz** and I look like and how we're like without actually knowing who we are? -_-

By the way, I deleted your rude and horrible comments. I should have done that earlier. So much earlier. Ò_Ó

"To g.o.d./guest:

Google yourself and take a look at how many websites you have been exposed. You are a really sick person. The INTERPOL is already looking for you. That boy who almost killed himself because of your bullying is the biggest legal charge you have."

Dear **Guest**, you are an angel.

"guest, the only one going to jail is YOU for illegally postong ip addresses and slander. Bwhahahaha. No wonder your own parents hate your fag ass. Kill yourself, disgusting delusional pathetic fucked up fugly fatass psycho virgin fag."

Stop. It. **guest**. Just. Stop. It. Please.

Thanks **Jazz**! :D

Nice! ^_^

By the way, Happy Halloween! To celebrate, I decided to update! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_However, the man did not have to as a name slipped past Mitsuru's growling lips. "Shuji Ikutsuki..."_

"You called?" The wide grin that had crossed the addressed's face upon hearing those two words, the wide grin that exposed all teeth did not hold even a hint of warmth. No reassurance. No welcomeness. Only glee. Only the glee of a bloodthirsty predator upon spotting several juicy morsels crossing his path, juicy morsels who were ripe for the picking. And picking there shall be...

A fist clenched as slate eyes narrowed, hate, hate, and nothing but hate directed at the one before them, a feral snarl tearing from Akihiko's throat. "So it's really you, isn't it?"

"You're behind the Dark Hour after all, aren't you?" A sole hue narrowed as its owner glared daggers at the foe, fury raging on in normally stoic silver.

A sinister cackle left the miscreant's lips. "That's some huge accusation you're placing on me, Makoto." Dark brown depths flashed, the ominous light only increasing in intensity as they landed on another. "Mitsuru." A smug smirk crossed malevolent features. "Whatever are you doing here? Isn't this a little too late for you to be in school?" The speaker feigned confusion as fingers moved to scratch his goatee. "Don't you know what hour it is right now?"

"You mean the Dark Hour?" Yukari sneered. "And how do you know our names?!"

She was promptly ignored. "You should be at home right now. Who knows how much you are worrying your father by being here?"

"You mean the man you _murdered_ in cold blood?" Any normal person would flee the very second they haplessly happened to glimpse at the pure rage, the intense intent to kill blazing on in crimson flames.

Too bad the intended didn't have any. "What could you possibly be talking about?" The sadistic grin which twisted that evil mug told all there was to tell.

"YOU LIAR!" Naruto screamed. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO KILLED HER DAD!"

One could _swear_ the black in Sasuke's eyes flared into a fiery red as he growled at their abductor. "Don't play dumb. We all know."

"And how do you know what Mitsuru told you is the truth?" The man challenged. "She could be lying for all you know. She is a Kirijo after all. She lied to everyone by hiding her true identity. What's to stop her from lying to you all now?"

Minako was not fooled by the villain's tricks for even one second. "She's our friend and we believe in our friends!"

"What's your excuse?" Lightless depths scanned across the trio. "Neither of you three are native to Tatsumi Port Island or even Iwatodai for the matter—"

"—How would you know that and why do you know?" One would not be able to comprehend the blazing fury sweeping across Itachi from the eerily calm tone he adopted.

The questioned chuckled. "I know about you Uchiha brothers and that you brought along a friend. I had some research done about you after all." He shrugged. "The Kirijo Group must know everything about prospective rivals you know." He then became serious. "Answer my question." His lips twisted into a frown. "Since neither of you are native to this area, it would be impossible to know any of them—" He gestured to the five and Koromaru "—on any meaningful levels. Who knows what they're claiming is the truth—"

"They _are_ telling the truth."

A mouth dropped wide open at who had declared those very words. "Itachi?!"

"You're wrong."

That mouth officially dropped into an abysmal oblivion. "SASUKE?!"

"Tch. Dobe." And then he continued, piercing ebon orbs stabbing straight into the foe. "I might not have believed them at first, but after checking with the facts, I know for them to not be lying."

The chuckle that sounded drew all eyes toward its source. "What my foolish little brother means is that after getting to know them, he...and I...have realized they could not possibly be lying." All humor vanished in an instant as sable depths flashed up, boring into the man in their line of sight, that despised man. "On the other hand, we have absolutely no reason to trust you."

"For being such a shrewd individual, you sure don't know what to say to someone who has your life in his hands." Fingers snapped. A horde of Shadows leapt out of the walls, the nine watching in horror as they crept towards the comatose teen lying helplessly in that coffin.

Koromaru rushed towards the enemies, Evoker instantly appearing in his jaws. "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Several shots were fired, blasting the creatures away just before they could devour their prey.

"Hmm. I wonder why none of you have become coffins ever since you had entered the Dark Hour?" Shuji scratched his chin, genuine curiosity lighting his features.

And then it dawned on them. Takeba gasped. "We were supposed to turn into coffins?!"

"How is that even possible?!" Akihiko screamed.

Shivers ran up and down spines sapient and canine as chilling laughter rang about. "How do you think those who have entered the Dark Hour before you never escaped it?"

"Oh no..." Mitsuru took a step back in dread. "As soon as they entered it, the victims must have immediately turned into coffins and were—"

The chilling laughter echoed off the sterile white walls, amplifying more and more until it seemed the whole room shook with it. "Eaten by Shadows! That is correct!"

"YOU MONSTER!" Naruto roared.

The smug look that suddenly washed over the accused unsettled everyone _far_ more than the chilling laughter ever could. "You should worry more about the monsters over there." All eyes widened in absolute terror as they witnessed the flurry of Shadows rushing back towards the prone teen, overwhelming the pooch as they rushed to their latest morsel.

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

Makoto and Minako fired first, the trails flying in their bullets' wakes gaining the ability to halt the creatures' advance. Following immediately afterwards, Sanada aimed at the nemeses, his own amplifying the strength of the barriers. The lightning-fast shots rocketing from Yukari's Evoker made the defense perfect while Mitsuru's distracted the foes, punishing them horribly as bursts of immense pain ricocheted across their bodies. The torment was far from over as Sasuke dealt his justice, the pin-point precision of Itachi's assault combining with his brother's to make all the victims writhe in total agony. The blinding flash originating from Naruto's weapon rendered the targets completely helpless and combined with the resulting impacts from his own and Koromaru's pistols, the Shadows were as good as dead. And actually were if the thousands of black specks flying about were any indication.

Through it all, dark brown eyes had raptly anaylzed the scene, Ikutsuki scratching his chin as he contemplated what was going on. "Interesting. The Evokers are responding to their owners' personalities and desires rather well. It was worth keeping their Evokers on them to be able to witness such a thing. After all, I have not seen a sufficient amount of firing in the past to accurately be able to reach such a conclusion."

"And why wouldn't you?" The nine turned back to the man as soon as they made sure the comatose was safe, the magenta snarling.

The addressed shrugged. "Because no one really fires Evokers outside of the Dark Hour and those who had entered the Dark Hour before you nine all turned into coffins before getting a chance to."

"Why do people even turn into coffins after entering the Dark Hour?!" Yukari demanded, disturbed. "That shouldn't even be possible!"

The questioned scoffed. "Why do the walls turn green? Why do puddles of blood suddenly appear? Why do electronics not work? Why does Gekkoukan High School turn into Tartarus?" Lips twisted into a smirk. "It's all a part of the Dark Hour."

"What _is_ Tartarus?!" Naruto was beyond confused. And he wasn't the only one.

A shrug was offered. "Tartarus is a massive tower that appears each night at Gekkoukan High School yet is only accessible and visible to those who enter the Dark Hour; everything appears the same as it usually does to anyone else." A grunt followed. "It's where the Shadows make their home and where I conduct my experiments."

"EXPERIMENTS?!" The Uzumaki was in a state of utter disbelief. As were the others.

Shuji only scoffed in response. "What do you think all this lab equipment is for? For show?"

"SONNA!" Tears flew from Yukari's eyes. "THAT'S SO HORRIBLE!"

Nails almost dug into flesh with how hard Mitsuru was clenching her fists. "MONSTRE IGNOBLE!"

"Monster? Me?" Ikutsuki feigned innocence as he gazed at the magenta. "Your grandfather was the one to start the Dark Hour and create this entire mess, not me."

All eyes snapped up as Akihiko stepped in front of the accused, arms out in a protective stance. "Mitsuru is _NOT_ her grandfather! Just because they share blood relations doesn't mean Mitsuru is evil too!"

"Besides, even if he was the one to start all this, you are continuing it!" Makoto stepped in.

Hate, hate, and nothing but hate shot out of Yukari's eyes as she glared daggers at the man. "You had my father framed when he did nothing wrong!"

"You are evil beyond comprehension!" Minako screamed.

Itachi shook his head at the miscreant. "You are harming so many and hiding the truth from everyone."

"You are a despicable human being." Sasuke spat.

A harsh snicker tore from Naruto's lips. "If you can even call him a human being."

"Are you calling me an abomination? A monster beyond salvation?" The offended scoffed. "Then so are all the scientists who engage in animal testing."

Itachi crossed his arms, scowling. "What are you getting at?"

"Those scientists perform experiments one could consider immoral and inhumane on animals who cannot give consent yet through that, they have made numerous breakthroughs in cosmetics, medicine, and so much more. They contributed considerably to the standard of living enjoyed by many, what makes our lives today so convenient and modern, saving thousands of lives and making many so comfortable." Hands were placed on hips. "Do you consider them to be monsters too?"

Just how could that be answered? "What they are doing is definitely immoral, yet they have the good of the people in mind." All watched as Itachi took a step forward, fist clenched. "This is an example of grey morality; what those scientists are doing is not completely good, nor is it completely evil. But tell me..." Eyes flashed. "...where is the good in what you're doing?"

"Why I'm going to end all suffering, sadness, pain, anguish, and all the negative emotions felt by humans as a whole...by ending their lives." Even the most sociopathic of serial killers could not have donned as horrifying of a grin as Shuji had.

It was as though the nine had been punched straight in the gut; they were rendered completely speechless by the shock of it all...until Mitsuru reanimated, the flames burning in magenta hues threatening to burn the whole building down. "YOU PSYCHO!" All glass within a mile radius nearly shattered. "THAT'S WHY YOU MURDERED MY FATHER?!"

"AND FRAMED MY FATHER AFTER HE WAS KILLED?!" Yukari screeched, hissing at the man with unparalleled hatred. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Nor did it have the fury that blazed on within Akihiko, his frame trembling wildly with barely suppressed rage. "HOW IS THAT GOOD?!"

"THAT'S JUST PURE EVIL!" Minako shrieked.

Makoto snarled. "There's not even a hint of white in that pitch-black morality!"

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Koromaru was one step away from tearing the man from limb to limb. Just one step from tearing him to sheds.

Naruto was no different. "YOU MONSTER!"

"You vile fiend." Acid shot out with each and every word that left Sasuke's mouth.

One by one, Itachi cracked his knuckles, an expression capable of making the most feral of beasts flee with their tails between their legs darkening his features. "Just how would committing mass murder help anyone?"

"As long as humans are alive, conflict will exist. No matter where you go, no matter the time period, no matter the environment, there will be strife. Don't pretend that it doesn't. Don't delude yourselves." How Ikutsuki wasn't even remotely affected by the multiple wishes of intense, agonizing death is beyond even the greatest of geniuses. Instead, his psychotic smile morphed into an even more deranged grin. "Conflict evolves into violence which further evolves into fights, battles, and even wars. Just look in any history textbook and you'll know I'm right. History is doomed to repeat itself over and over again! Pain and suffering will continue to plague the world and make everyone miserable." A righteous step was taken forward as the speaker threw his arms out. "Only when Nyx is revived will the world see an end to its torment by bringing about The Fall!"

Terror possessed every fiber of Mitsuru's being as her feet took several involuntary steps backward. "The Fall?! As in the fall of human civilization?!"

"Oops, I said too much." A cruel smirk twisted Shuji's features as he snapped his fingers, even more Shadows flooding the space. "Looks like none of you can leave this place alive."

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Sonna=No way

•French: Monstre ignoble=Despicable monster

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	25. Chapter 25

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter followed by thirty-one of my author's notes—but not **guest** for rudely doing the same thing two times—as well as **platypuslattes** before **AnimeGirl930** for following in addition to **sherryfanfic1999** for favoriting and following not forgetting **Ellanore** for commenting on, favoriting along with following Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato then **Dallaria** for favoriting Jealous? I Think Not... sans leaving out **UltimateChallengeMaker** for evaluating it prior to Not As Simple As It Sounds—**Sonananombre** enacting the latter—plus **perilfirewolf** for favoriting Kaitō Kokoro! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

THANK YOU SO MUCH **Ellanore**! XD

I'M SO FLATTERED **UltimateChallengeMaker**! *BIG BANG!*

"Kill yourselves, virgin fags."

"Bitch ass fag lover"

Could you please just stop **guest**? This is getting old. -_-

Sweet **Jazz**! (:

No problem! ^_^

You're right **Sonananombre**. /:

By the way, Happy Thanksgiving! To celebrate, I decided to update! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Oops, I said too much." A cruel smirk twisted Shuji's features as he snapped his fingers, even more Shadows flooding the space. "Looks like none of you can leave this place alive."_

Black blobs bearing gnarled limbs rearing their ugly heads which appeared to have melted into the ground. Cryptic creatures in the shape of hands. Folded tables possessing faces. Baleful beings dressed in sorcerers' robes. Creepy crowns. Sentient scriptures. Females sitting on reversed pyramids. Ebon eagles that didn't even look like eagles save for their avian structures. Mothers holding their children. Women draped in furs sitting on love seats. Large horned scarabs. Knights in shining armor riding on horse armor. Castles standing on elephant legs. Twins bound to each other via metal rods impaling both bodies. Rotating heads stacked together in sets of threes, miters upon their crowns. Wizards surrounded by cubes. Cherubs wielding bows and arrows. Headless couples slowly dancing in place. Snakes branded with Venus and Mars symbols on their necks. Wheels with lion-like features. Humanoid machines with multiple legs fixed into two wheels as well as having lances and swords for arms. Titanic tanks. Scales of justice. Swords wielded by stone arms protruding from the floor. Stone golems armed with broadswords and scales. Hovering ravens grasping lanterns in their talons. Spinning specters. Sets of five floating eyes held by bats and beheaded heads. Countless configurations of dice suspended midair. Limbed hourglasses surrounded by rings. Lions chained to balls and chains. Metal monsters sporting wrestling speedos. Sneering samurai. Towering minotaurs in shackles. Ogres chained upside-down to gigantic wheels. Obese abominations with six hands each. All possessing soulless masks of vast varieties. Shadows. Shadows. Nothing but Shadows.

"NANI?!" Yukari shrieked, nearly dropping her Evoker from the sheer terror taking hold of her.

Akihiko's jaw smashed into oblivion at what was before them. "OH. MY. GOD!"

"How is this even possible?!" Minako cried.

A sole silver hue bugged out in a manner that was almost comical. If only the situation wasn't so dire. "I have no idea."

"MON DIEU!" Several involuntary steps were taken backward as trembles wracked Mitsuru's frame, the utmost shock overtaking her.

Naruto gasped. "Why are there so many?!"

"It doesn't matter." The six whipped toward Sasuke as he spoke, piercing ebon orbs narrowing as he pointed his gun at the nearest beast.

Itachi took a determined step forward. "My little brother is right; no matter how many enemies we must face, we must stand firm and persevere."

"Persevere?" That sneering voice turned all heads, a mocking smirk twisting the owner's lips. "Do you know where Shadows come from?" The man was suddenly serious. "They come from us, our emotions." Crazed laughter spontaneously broke out, only growing more and more maniacal with each passing second. "So that means as long as we humans exist, Shadows will too! The Fall is inevitabl—"

BAM! BAM! BAM! "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Black bits abruptly burst about as several gunshots had been fired, a multitude of Visceral Maya obliterated.

"Koromaru's right!" Takeba gathered her resolve as she lifted her weapon, firing straight at an Insidious Maya that had been about to attack the pooch from behind, killing it. "Less talking and more fighting!"

Having regained her composure, the Kirijo gave a firm nod. "Right!" She turned just as herds of Frivolous Mayas and Conceited Mayas had tried to sneak up on her, her retaliating shot halting them in their tracks as the trail had distracted them, exploding at the subsequent impact. A shifting in the air was the only warning she had when a flock of Venus Eagles descended, performing a roll to avoid the sharp talons, aiming at the avians as soon as she stopped. However, although she had annihilated that group, Dark Eagles as well as Jupiter Eagles and Eternal Eagles swooped in with a vengeance, revenge more than clear in their intent, the magenta having to duck to avoid being blown away by the gale-force winds. Hands covering her neck, the woman stayed still just as an idea came to mind. "C'est tout!" The lady lifted one arm, firing one shot into the midst.

"HA!" Shuji snickered, a malevolent grin crossing his features as it missed. "That won't do anythin—"

Spoke too soon. Having surrounded the female on three sides, the gusts had blown the violet suspension towards those across from each origin, essentially bemusing each other, them no longer working in sync. Taking advantage of their disunion, Mitsuru rose, gunning down the birds. They stood no chance in the confusion of it all.

As the smoke cleared, the female smirked at the villain. "You were sayin—"

"WATCH OUT!" Shift shots took care of the Insidious Mayas that had been seconds away from engulfing the would-be victim, the rapid rapid fire making quick work out of them.

The burgundy smiled at her savior. "You saved me time and time again, Takeba."

"That's what friends do!" The thanked beamed, winking as she gave a two-fingered salute. Her lips immediately drew into a straight line as a rain of arrows fired on her, her firing back at them.

It's time to return the favor. "Here!" The Kirijo rushed to Yukari's side, the magenta trails flying from her Evoker ruining the Devoted Cupids' and Gracious Cupids' concentrations, eradicating them while the other finished off the Obsessed Cupids and Jealous Cupids.

"Thanks!" The girl giggled.

The woman chuckled. "No proble—"

"Don't just stand there." Sasuke cut them off, taking out all of the Bigoted Mayas in one fell swoop. Not stopping there, the raven charged into a mass of Justice Swords, his critical hits exterminating them within seconds as though they were nothing. However, at that moment, the sable was surrounded, the Heat Balances, Sky Balances, Light Balances, and World Balances closing in—

—only for Naruto to appear. "TAKE THIS!" The blinding brilliance ceased the scales in their tracks, the resulting barrage ending their lives in a flash.

"You didn't have to interfere, usuratonkachi." The younger Uchiha scoffed. "I can take care of myself."

The Uzumaki scowled. "I was just trying to help teme!"

"Orokana otouto." The pair watched as Itachi approached them, a smirk on his lips as he faced his brother. "Naruto-kun was just looking out for you."

Crimson dotted pale cheeks. "Shut up nii-san."

"You can't deny it though." All humor left the eldest's eyes as he turned his attention to the foes circling him, lips quirking. "Here goes." You wouldn't believe what went on next if you hadn't seen it for yourself; the man fired in all directions, some of the bullets seeming to miss their mark...or not as the shooter shot bullets at those bullets with inhuman speed and precision, causing them to ricochet, all bullets piercing their targets at vital spots, none spared. Even those in supposed blind spots. The Cowardly Mayas, Merciless Mayas, Haughty Mayas, Indolent Mayas, Ill-fated Mayas, Desirous Mayas, Imprudent Mayas, and Devious Mayas were no more. Just like that. The surviving Conviction Swords, Judgement Swords, and Doom Swords were massacred as well.

Astonishment would be a _massive_ understatement. There was no time to marvel in such impossible feats however. "BE GONE!" Or maybe not. After all, an encore had taken place. The Magic Hands, Dancing Hands, Killing Hands, Almighty Hands, Laughing Tables, Crying Tables, Sleeping Tables, and Angry Tables were impaled with perfect accuracy. But not by the same person. "I was able to replicate Itachi-san's pin-point precision to take down all those Shadows." Akihiko spoke as he turned to the mentioned. "That was truly impressive." Of course all had to agree. And voice it out too.

"You're so amazing!" Stars could be seen twinkling in Naruto's eyes.

Sasuke shrugged. "That's nii-san for you." One could _swear_ his lips were quirked though.

"Wow!" Minako cried.

Yukari squealed. "So cool!"

"Incredible!" Makoto gaped.

Mitsuru gasped. "Incroyable!"

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" But of course they were cut short. There was still a battle going on after all. Koromaru charged at the oncoming sorcerers, Evoker clenched tightly in his jaws. The Magical Magi, Wondrous Magi, Prime Magi, and Grand Magi attempted to halt the hound's advance with a series of powerful spells...only to fail as he persevered, enduring the onslaught before firing his weapon, blasting the casters into countless smithereens.

But that was not all. The calm before the storm as they say. "WHAT THE?!" The remaining foes gathered, swooping in on a certain pair. And man were there_ a lot_.

"The Shadows must be going after Yuki and Minako since they're the Fools!" Sanada exclaimed. "Fool 0 and Fool 22 both represent unlimited potential and these creatures must want to destroy that!"

The magenta made her move. "We must help them!"

"Right!" The slate and the rest followed, all joining the targeted pair, watching each other's backs.

Mitsuru lifted her gun. "Let's do this!" She fired the first shot, the magenta trails halting the advance of the Muttering Tiaras, Grieving Tiaras, Writhing Tiaras, and Shouting Tiaras before wiping them out. Akihiko followed suit, his weapon amplifying the effects of the previous assault, making the Spurious Books, Maniacal Books, Silent Books, and Wrathful Books go extinct. Yukari was the next to move, protecting everyone from the Grave Beetles, Adamant Beetles, Golden Beetles, Emperor Beetles, and Burning Beetles as the Kirijo dealt the finishing blows while the former went to slay the Trance Twins, Killer Twins, Death Twins, and Crazy Twins. Koromaru targeted the Intrepid Knights, Avenger Knights, Champion Knights, and Hell Knights, his forceful shots blasting holes through the troop, killing them all before moving on to and finishing off the Wild Beasts, Enslaved Beasts, Mighty Beasts, Nemean Beasts, and El Dorado Beasts. Sasuke stood still as the Lustful Snakes, Immoral Snakes, Carnal Snakes, Amorous Snakes, and Stoic Snakes sought him out as prey...only for them to be unable to eat as their heads exploded, courtesy of their target. Too bad the Tranquil Idols, Liberating Idols, Ruinous Idols, Vehement Idols, and Primitive Idols didn't stand a chance against the raven either. Nor could the Change Relics, Constancy Relics, Creation Relics, Growth Relics, and Affection Relics survive Itachi's barrage as well as the Elegant Mothers, Regal Mothers, Pistil Mothers, and Divine Mothers plus the Soul Dancers, Ardent Dancers, Natural Dancers, Royal Dancers, and Harem Dancers. The Corrupt Towers, Dogmatic Towers, Fanatic Towers, Apostate Towers, and Grudge Towers could not bear the blinding brilliance of Naruto's attacks, perishing only seconds later, disintegrating.

"Let's do this!" Makoto and Arisato stood back-to-back, not letting their guards down one bit as the Death Castles, Solid Castles, Power Castles, and King Castles surrounded them, inching slowing in place in a circle in the same direction, their shots obtaining the force of battering rams, the walls of each victim crumbling before completely falling apart. The Blue Sigils, Red Sigils, Green Sigils, and White Sigils advanced on the two, attempting to cast curses on them only to be cursed by the targets themselves, dying in the same way they would have killed their quarry. The Bestial Wheels, Mach Wheels, Brave Wheels, and Battle Wheels aimed to run the two over only to be punctured by super-sharp bullets, bursting one by one. The Rampage Drives, Wild Drives, Killer Drives, and Slaughter Drives met similar fates. Also, the Arcane Turrets, Scarlet Turrets, Wicked Turrets, Hallowed Turrets, Berserk Turrets, and Spastic Turrets might have been large armored tanks, but they were still no match for the blazing storms which melted them into puddles of metal.

Now it was time to finish this. "The time for dividing and conquering is over." Mitsuru spoke. "Let's work together to eradicate the rest!" All nodded at that, watching as the army of Shadows advanced on them. Makoto and Minako fired first, the trails flying in their bullets' wakes gaining the ability to halt the creatures' advance. Following immediately afterwards, Sanada aimed at the nemeses, his own amplifying the strength of the barriers. The lightning-fast shots rocketing from Yukari's Evoker made the defense perfect while Mitsuru's distracted the foes, punishing them horribly as bursts of immense pain ricocheted across their bodies. The torment was far from over as Sasuke dealt his justice, the pin-point precision of Itachi's assault combining with his brother's to make all the victims writhe in total agony. The blinding flash originating from Naruto's weapon rendered the targets completely helpless and combined with the resulting impacts from his own and Koromaru's pistols, the Order Giants, Stasis Giants, Harmony Giants, Void Giants, Loss Giants, Black Ravens, Vicious Ravens, Amenti Ravens, Ice Ravens, Phantom Mages, Phantom Masters, Phantom Lords, Phantom Kings, Phantom Heros, Death Seekers, Fate Seekers, Noble Seekers, Acheron Seekers, Bronze Dice, Mind Dice, Curse Dice, Reckoning Dice, Iron Dice, Death Dice, Silver Dice, Platnium Dice, Flowing Sands, Perpetual Sands, Infinite Sands, Eternal Sands, Steel Gigas, Furious Gigas, Mythical Gigas, Daring Gigas, Immortal Gigas, Hakurou Mushas, Kaiden Mushas, Onnen Mushas, Tenjin Mushas, Minotaur IVs, Minotaur IIIs, Minotaur IIs, Minotaur Is, Neo Minotaurs, Mighty Cyclopes, Mad Cyclopes, Fierce Cyclopes, Chaos Cyclopes, Brilliant Cyclopes, Rebellious Cyclopes, Jotuns of Power, Jotuns of Blood, Jotuns of Grief, and Jotuns of Evil were as good as dead. And actually were if the thousands of black specks flying about were any indication. At last. About time.

"You think you've won, haven't you?" The addressed turned, eyes bugging at what they saw in Ikutsuki's hands. "That wasn't the worst of it." Even Satan himself could not have been as terrifying as that fiend at the moment. "Now if I were to push this—"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"NO!"

"GRR!"

Too late. The shots seemed to evaporate from the muzzles as a blinding darkness exploded across the lab, twelve holes forming all around.

What the nine saw struck terror into their very beings. Shuji cackled. "Didn't I say you wouldn't be leaving this place alive?"

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Nani=What, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, nii-san=older brother

•French: Mon Dieu=My God, C'est tout=That's it, Incroyable=Incredible

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	26. Chapter 26

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter followed by twenty-four of my author's notes—**Smiling Sesha **doing the first chapter—as well as **Gummy-bears28** for favoriting Kanashī, Wütend, Desolato—**Wolfakins** for evaluating too favoriting—plus **SilverDawn15** then **Magician of Khemet** for favoriting Kaitō Kokoro along with **YaoiBunny8702** for commenting on after favoriting Hakkōna—enacting the previous with Kaitō Kokoro later afterwards **emmy101701** for favoriting towards following the former as **Lanying**, **The Trashy Fangirl** in addition to **The star riddle** just did the former with the same story—but not **Loki** for insulting me there—sans leaving out **LucediDio **for favoriting Gankona, Unnachgbiebig, Unità—**WhiteXTrainer00** assessing the final chapter posterior to **Guest** writing about it two times while another **Guest** critiqued Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf twice whereas **Kadek-is-the-Best** favorited it—prior to Testardo, Persistente next **KittyMagician** for favoriting anterior to following Seebeck Effect penultimate to **Guest** for complimenting Sora in Stockholm lastly **StratosOmega** for favoriting Kalos Action finally **YuiTenpouin3** for favoriting Kalyeserye ToYaGo! ultimately **Kenrose996** for favoriting Shinobi no Pokémon! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

THANK YOU SO MUCH **Wolfakins**! XD

I'm so flattered **YaoiBunny8702**! ^_^

I really appreciate your comments **Guest**! (:

Same with the **Guest** who reviewed Sora in Stockholm! :D

I'm unsure what to feel about the **Guest** who did so for Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf though. ):

"You humans are all possessed when you are inspired to write anything. Can't you morons get that by now?"

...What do you mean by that **Loki**? O_O

Thanks **Smiling Seshat**, but I'll keep doing things my way. /:

YOU TOO **Jazz**! XD

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! To celebrate, I decided to update today! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_What the nine saw struck terror into their very beings. Shuji cackled. "Didn't I say you wouldn't be leaving this place alive?"_

A mess of ebon limbs, hands wielding razor-sharp daggers with one holding a death-like visage. A masked woman possessing hair shooting out in black and white—purple too—that altered with the rest of her body with each half the color of the other who wore an elegant skirt below the letters B and J on her bosom. A plump lady adorned in a collar consisted of cream peacock feathers bearing golden spots above cerulean garments which barely fit across her huge sable stomach that had a bleached cloth around it. A tall broad-framed man bearing obsidian armor with a crimson cross across it that was the same as a scarlet cape on his shoulders who had a sword. A horrifically deformed monster sporting many legs clad in high-heels belonging to an obese creature who appeared to be sitting on a warped chair which had limbs and a face that resembled a twisted mockery of a cross with a multitude of real ones circling it. A huge bleeding heart wrapped in golden stripes with pinions attached. A huge armored tank equipped with four caterpillar tracked wheels, all ready to run over whatever comes in its path. A helmed cherub-like being holding a huge gun. A creepy quadrupedal creature who was more machine than beast. A golden mechanical horse. An elegant maiden dressed in a cream dress surrounded by beautiful roses and wire mesh. A beefy bloke hanging from a cross suspended by strings attached to rings that had five angelic wings each. Each had manifested from the twelve holes, towering high above all. It was a wonder upon wonders that any of them could even fit in the room. Or that none of them had smashed through the ceiling.

To say the witnesses were absolutely awestruck would be putting it lightly. _Far_ too lightly. Several steps were taken back at the sight of the looming, ominous entities. "W-What are they?!" Yukari cried out.

"They look to be on a whole other level than the Shadows we just fought!" Mitsuru screamed.

Chuckling drew all eyes to the source of that harrowing sound. "That's because these aren't ordinary Shadows." Ikutsuki smirked. "These are Full Moon Shadows, figments of Death itself! The Arcana Magician, Arcana Priestess, Arcana Empress, Arcana Emperor, Arcana Hierophant, Arcana Lovers, Arcana Chariot, Arcana Justice, Arcana Hermit, Arcana Fortune, Arcana Strength, and Arcana Hanged Man are Nyx incarnate!"

"These Shadows are named after twelve of the Major Arcana themselves." Makoto commented. "These foes must be no laughing matter."

Tremors overtook Naruto as blue eyes frantically flicked between each enemy. "Why do we have to take on such powerful enemies when we're so badly outnumbered?!"

"Dobe." That telltale insult drew the intended's attention to a certain someone. Sasuke scoffed. "This isn't a 4/3 to 1 battle, it's a 12 to 9 one."

Itachi nodded. "We're all working together and will back each other up." The corner of his lips drew up. "Besides, we have beaten such odds before with Team Flare, remember?"

"But we had many Pokémon on our side at that time!" The Uzumaki protested. "We might have beaten all those Shadows before with our Evokers, but I get the feeling these ones will be a lot more difficult to defeat!"

The Kirijo stepped in, having gathered her resolve as had the others. "We might not have the powers of those mysterious creatures called Pokémon, but we do have our own." She gestured to her own weapon. "Like the Uchiha brothers said, we're fighting as a team. We can use our different strengths to cover any potential weak spots we might have and protect all of us."

"None of us will let the other get hurt." Minako declared.

Akihiko pumped his fist. "We'll retaliate with full force!"

"We will not forgive our enemies for any harm they cause." A sole silver hue narrowed as Yuki glared at said enemies.

Takeba giggled. "Count on it!"

"ARF! ARF!" Don't leave Koromaru out. I mean, who could resist those reassuring eyes?

Naruto sure couldn't. "Yoshi." The blond's gaze was unwavering as he stared at the creatures before them. "Let's do this!" His Evoker shot up with eight others.

"About time! I was starting to grow bored!" Shuji faked a yawn before turning to his minions, snapping his fingers. "Finish these fools off!"

The Arcana Magician was the first to do so. "Stand your ground!" All did as Mitsuru commanded, eyes trained on the daggers held by each lanky limb, dodging each slash by a hairbreadth.

"You're done." The impeccable accuracy of Itachi's firing struck each of the blades, causing the creature to flinch as it was thrown back, momentarily stunned.

And that moment was taken advantage of. "You're through!" Makoto and Minako fired first, the trails flying in their bullets' wakes gaining the ability to halt any further movements. Following immediately afterwards, Sanada aimed at the nemesis, his own amplifying the strength of the barriers. The lightning-fast shots rocketing from Yukari's Evoker made the defense perfect while Mitsuru's distracted the foe as it attempted to recover, punishing it horribly as bursts of immense pain ricocheted across its body. The torment was far from over as Sasuke dealt his justice, the pin-point precision of Itachi's next assault combining with his brother's to make the victim writhe in total agony. The blinding flash originating from Naruto's weapon rendered the target completely helpless and combined with the resulting impacts from his own and Koromaru's pistols, the Arcana Magician was as good as dead. And actually was if the thousands of black specks flying about were any indication.

"Ha! That was easier than I thought!" Naruto exclaimed as he blew the smoke rising from the muzzle of his gun, smug smile directed at Shuji. "Maybe these Full Moon Shadows are not all they are cracked up to be."

But that smug smile was wiped off the instant the flaxen caught the disturbing smirk spreading across the man's face. "The Arcana Magician was the weakest of the bunch, being on par with your average Shadow only with more power." As though to prove his point, the Arcana Priestess had decided to creep up at that moment, staring at the nine with nothing but contempt.

"Our work has only just begun!" Following Akihiko's declaration, the nine separated, surrounding the abbess. Sensing the imminent danger, the kahuna swept a hand, summoning an army of Muttering Tiaras. "Let's do this!" The pooch pounced the procession, blasting them to bits and pieces before they could even react. The cleric attempted to retaliate by appearing to blow kisses that were actually deathly mists only for it to fail as Yukari deflected the hazes, Mitsuru's bullets delivering a devastating counterattack that the target simply could not foresee. Arisato leapt into the action, her shots becoming unusually powerful, finishing the Arcana Priestess off.

Yet the battle was far from over; the Arcana Empress and Arcana Emperor saw to that. However, before either could stab at anyone, Naruto jumped in, the blinding brilliance of his shot rendering the pair immobile before knocking them back several feet with the resulting impact. It was a wonder upon wonders nothing in the room had been crushed or was sent flying. Especially when an encore had been performed courtesy of Akihiko, only stronger. It seemed as though the royal duo had been defeated. _Seemed_...

"NANI?!" The vibrant light enveloping the couple caught the fighters off-guard, Takeba barely managing to block the oncoming burst of blackness from the female monarch and the wild swings of the sword from the male. The crimson slash from the king nearly caught the nine, nearly slicing them in half.

Sasuke took no more crap from the two. "Prepare yourselves." He administered his justice, paralyzing the pair in agonizing pain as he unloaded magazine upon magazine on them. The Arcana Empress could not withstand the ruthless onslaught, dissolving into black specks as she perished.

With his partner dead, the Arcana Emperor would grow weaker, right? Wrong. Too bad the regal grew more and more berserk, more and more reckless in his actions. And too bad he became more adept in blocking his opponents' offenses. All hopes were lost, right? Once again, wrong.

"Here goes nothing." You wouldn't believe what went on next if you hadn't seen it for yourself; Itachi fired in all directions, some of the bullets seeming to miss their mark...or not as the shooter shot bullets at those bullets with inhuman speed and precision, causing them to ricochet, all bullets piercing the target at vital spots, bypassing all defenses the creature had had. It was no surprise that the Arcana Emperor had died only seconds later, dissipating completely.

The Arcana Hierophant was next. However, the being did not make their assault easy as she casted wave upon wave of lightless lightning onto the nine, them barely able to dodge the barrage. And that wasn't all. "What the?!" The ebon smog that had diffused from the beast ensnared the group in its grasp, slowing their movements. Uh oh. This isn't good. Mitsuru frowned. "Now we can't advance nor evade as easily!"

"Don't worry." She turned to face Makoto as he pointed his Evoker up, firing skywards. The resulting trail surrounded him and his friends, oncoming static absorbed into the cloud. "Now we won't be electrocuted."

Minako beamed. "Alright!" Both Fools subsequently locked onto the current foe, their shots paralyzing her. Any and all counterattacks were deflected by Yukari as the rest joined the two in assailing the enemy, raining an endless shower of bullets upon her. The diverting devastating blasts. The enhanced encores of said effects. The forceful shockwaves. The blinding bursts. The unbearable agony of piercing metal. The absolutely accurate snipes. All of it was too much for the poor Arcana Hierophant as she at last succumbed to her injuries, killed on the spot.

The Arcana Lovers came afterwards. However, it was surprisingly agile, able to dodge attacks with ease. Most attacks, but not Itachi's of course. It just couldn't elude that pin-point precision after all. But that doesn't mean the creature was down for the count. "Qu'est-ce que l?!" Let's just say no one expected the sudden hearts to spontaneously appear above their heads, abruptly detonating. And let's just say no one had expected to be blown back from the collective impact. And then there were the arrows...

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" And then the arrows proceeded to vanish, having been obliterated by retaliating ammo.

Guess who shot them? "Yukari?!" Mitsuru was shocked beyond belief.

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT MY FRIENDS!" All watched in utter astonishment as the girl proceeded to batter the beast in bullets that were nothing more than a blur, tearing hole upon hole upon hole into the tissues faster than the eye could see, the muscle having beat its last at the end of it all as it fell under cardiac arrest.

A mouth was a perfect circle. "Incroyable..." To say Mitsuru was absolutely astounded would be a _massive_ understatement.

"I'm stronger than I look you know!" Yukari giggled. And indeed she is.

Naruto snickered. "This isn't as bad as I thought! We're taking down these Full Moon Shadows like they're nothing!" A wide grin spread across his mouth as arms folded behind his head. "Team Flare was harder to fight off after all!"

"You haven't seen anything yet." All attention was drawn to the source of that voice as said source snapped his fingers, two more foes stepping forward. "The Arcana Chariot and Arcana Justice are on a whole other level!" The nine watched as the latter descended onto the former, the two appearing to fuse.

The group was at the ready. "Let's go!" All followed Mitsuru's command as they assumed battle stances, studying the pair's movements incessantly. The turret fired round upon round of ammunition, all of which was dodged. The fighters then proceeded to advance, going all out as they fired a seemingly endless shower of bullets. The two were done for, right? Wrong.

"What the?!" And then they watched as one became two once more, the vehicle rearing up on its hind wheels as the angel-like being took to the air. But that wasn't the worst of it; the nine barely evaded the raining columns of light yet still had to avoid being run over by the tank. Yeesh. That wasn't easy in the slightest. It was a miracle of miracles none of them had been impaled or crushed. Or both.

The dog had had enough. "GRRRRRRRRRRR!" Koromaru pounced the cherub, firing round upon round at point blank, the target appearing to have been killed by that assault.

"DODGE!" However, the pooch had been swatted away by the machine, forced to release his hold on his target. Who subsequently came back to life.

And in no time resuming its assault. "WHAT?!"

"Don't falter!" The fighters did as the Kirijo said, holding their ground. Naruto then leapt forward, ceaselessly shooting down the vehicle which seemed to break down. Too bad it restarted again shortly after the Uzumaki was chased off.

Sasuke tched. "It's as though one can bring the other back to life."

"Why that is what's happening!" All heads whooshed toward Shuji as he cackled at what was unfolding before him. "As long as one remains alive, both are immortal!"

Itachi quickly caught on. "So that means we must defeat both simultaneously." As if on cue, the Arcana Justice once again settled upon the Arcana Chariot, combining once more. "Now's our chance!" Once again the nine went all out against the duo.

"Good luck with that..." Again with the ominous snickering.

Try as they might, no matter how much or how long the group had fired, it appeared that the pair was no closer to death than they were before. Akihiko growled. "Why won't they die?!"

"Just how powerful are they?!" Yukari cried out.

Makoto growled. "Too powerful."

"This isn't good..." Minako muttered.

Mitsuru glared. "They can't be infallible! Nothing is!"

"GRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Koromaru was no less frustrated than the rest.

Sasuke snarled at Ikutsuki. "Did you lie to us?!"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." That sure doesn't help.

Itachi tsked. "It seems that way."

"Maybe we have to kill both separately!" All attention was magnetically drawn to the source of that voice. Naruto continued. "Let's try destroying both of them at the same time the next time they separate!"

The other eight exchanged a sole glance before looking back, each giving a single nod. "Let's try it." As if on cue once more, the pair once again split into two, two entities staring them down for the third time.

And no one hesitated. Makoto and Minako started it off, their blasts rendering the twain temporarily immobile. Yukari's shots deflected every attempt at countering while Mitsuru's diverted their focus, punishing them horribly for doing so. Naruto kept them from being able to see Sasuke's and Koromaru's barrages, them not even knowing where the bullets came from. Nor did they know where the relentless shower that struck every possible place originated at. We all know where...from Itachi.

And with Akihiko's enhanced encore of the ones before him, the Arcana Chariot and Arcana Justice simply stood no chance. Especially since they weren't together.

But that wasn't the end of that. "RUN!" The nine barely leapt away in time as lightning poured from the ceiling, smoke sizzling only inches away from each. The Arcana Hermit crept forward, static gathering around it. Akihiko growled. "We've got to be careful around this thing or else we'll be electrocuted!" As if on cue, even more electricity struck from above, spiraling in a circle.

"I got it!" Yukari aimed, firing straight at the voltage...which went past those shots as though they were nothing.

The targets scarcely avoided being burnt to a crisp. Mitsuru frowned. "Those bolts must not be able to be blocked!"

"Let's try something else then." She watched as Makoto fired at a spot on the floor only inches from the beast itself, them all witnessing as further current was diverted to that single place. "That bullet will act as a lightning rod so the bolts will be redirected."

Minako quirked a brow. "Why didn't you just aim at the Arcana Hermit itself?"

"I didn't want to take the risk." A chin was scratched. "It seems as though it is immune to electricity and in fact, electricity would actually make it stronger."

Naruto was confused. "Couldn't it just touch the bullet then?" All heads turned as the creature did just that...only for nothing to happen.

"The electricity is drained and nothing can stop its flow, even the source itself." The explainer shrugged. That was made evident by the fact that a particularly strong strike had been sucked in and nullified. On the spot.

Sasuke sighed, stepping forward. "Less talking and more fighting." BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Total agony could not even begin to describe the torment the beast was in, hole upon hole punched into its flesh, the wires that had once been attached to it cackling as they were short-circuited.

"Let's finish this!" The rest followed Itachi's lead as he began targeting all the weak points with impeccable accuracy, assailing the fiend endlessly. With its electricity unable to do anything, the Arcana Hermit was simply helpless as the shower raged on, finally put out of its misery upon death.

However, as soon as the fallen had vanished, Arcana Strength and Arcana Fortune went to replace it, the former casting a shield on the latter. "Crap!" Make that an impenetrable shield. None of them could leave a scratch on it after all.

"I guess we must target Arcana Strength first then." The nine redirected their attention to the mentioned, crosshairs on her. However, no matter how much they fired, it seemed as though they couldn't land a single mark.

But that was the least of their surprises. "What is that?!" A humongous spinner suddenly crashed down from the heavens, dial spinning wildly. It was not as it seemed though...

"That's one of Arcana Fortune's signature moves." All turned to Ikutsuki as he continued speaking. "Tell it to stop, and the wheel will stop at a certain place."

Mitsuru was suspicious. "Why would Shuji be giving us advice?" She was immediately on guard. "Is this a trap?!"

"We won't know until we find out!" Naruto stepped forward. "STOP!" The spinner slowed, at last halting on a red panel.

Wait red panel?! "AHHHH!" The ground seemed to wobble under the group's feet only moments later, swaying to and fro.

"That result must have made us dizzy." Itachi spoke amidst the confusion. "The red panels must cause negative effects on us." The world had yet to still. The female took advantage of their dilemma, rushing forward...only to be stopped by pin-point accurate shots.

The Uzumaki was in awe. "You were able to aim perfectly while being dazed?! Whoa!"

"Now's not the time for such trivial matters." The blond faced Sasuke as he continued. "If the red is bad, the blue must be good. We should try getting the blues."

The dizziness had finally worn off. Regaining her composure, the Kirijo glanced at the raven. "How do we know it just won't be worse?"

"There's only one way to find out." No one could dispute that.

The flaxen grinned, leaping to the front as a new spinner descended. "STO—"

"Usuratonkachi!" The addressed glared at the owner of the hand that had clasped onto his mouth. Sasuke continued as though nothing happened. "Didn't you notice that the result we get is opposite from the one the dial is on the moment you yell stop?"

Itachi nodded. "He's right."

"If that's the case, then we must choose the panel opposite of a blue one!" Minako was quick to pick up, her eyes raptly watching the wheel, waiting for the right moment to present itself. Which it had. "STOP!" The wheel slowed, speed decreasing until the pointer landed on...blue. Which was opposite of the one it was on when she cried out. As predicted.

The pair suddenly bolted up, wobbling back and forth and back and forth. "Now's our chance!" The Arcana Strength was killed only moments later, leaving the Arcana Fortune vulnerable as the shield around it had shattered.

"WATCH OUT!" The fighters were forced to jump out of the way as the equine charged ahead, unable to stand as gale-force winds whirled about the room. How none of the lab had been obliterated is a mystery even the greatest of geniuses would be unable to solve. The horse was warded off by Yukari's shots, but just barely.

Another wheel descended from above, but was different than before. "NANI?!" The red panels were larger and more abundant while the blue ones were smaller and more scarce.

"Dobe." Once again, Naruto glared at his insulter who was once again not affected. "The same rules must apply, even if the board has been rigged in its owner's favor." With almost supernatural focus, Sasuke stared on, eyes narrowing in on the right place. "STOP!" And stop it did. On blue.

The Uzumaki gaped. "Do you have hawk eyes?!"

"All Uchihas possess vision far superior to most." Itachi lifted his Evoker, pointing it at the now vulnerable fiend. "DIE!" And die it did under the raging storm of bullets.

The Arcana Hanged Man was the only one left. Despite that, it approached the group fearlessly, holding nothing but contempt for all as it stood before them. Or more like floated. "This is the last of them. Destroy this one, and all the figments of Nyx will have been destroyed!" Single nods were given at Mitsuru's speech before each raised their guns, triggers cocked. "LET'S GO!" All nine fired an endless stream of metal...none of which could hit the monster, dissipating inches away from their target.

"What the?!" None of them had expected that after all.

Yukari noticed something. "Look!" She pointed at three statues that had materialized onto the floor. "We might have to attack these in order to bring the Arcana Hanged Man down!"

"Then let's do it." The sculptures were reduced to rubble in a matter of seconds, their summoner crashing down seconds later. Just as Takeba had predicted. The Kirijo did not waste any time. Nor did anyone else as they fired relentlessly at the fiend, dealing massive damage.

However, their streak did not last. "WHAT THE?!" Several Devious Mayas abruptly sprang from the ground, taking the hits for their master. That wasn't all though. "DUCK!" The creature had taken one of its minions into its grasp, throwing its flaming corpse at its foes. They were lucky none of them had been burned to ashes.

"The reverse Hanged Man means that one cannot make any decision and go forward in life. This can be represented by the Arcana Hanged Man remaining in the air and not making any important decision if not taken down. It has no compassion towards those who need it as seen when it readily sacrificed its allies to protect itself and harm you all." Shuji cackled. "Don't let your guard down or else it might kill you!" Like that rotten fiend actually cared.

At that moment, the rubble had regathered, the figures reformed. Their maker returned to the air too. "Take down the statues once more!" However, as one crumbled, the other was remade. Over and over and over again.

"What are we supposed to do now?!" Yukari shrieked. "At this rate, we can't win!"

Ricocheting bullets answered her. "Now whenever one is remade, it'll be instantly destroyed."

"You're such a genius Itachi! You're so amazing!" Naruto fawned. There was a hint of a smile at those words.

Sasuke tched. "Don't get distracted dobe!" Was he...jealous?

"Yeah, yeah." Let's leave that question for another time. For now, there were much more serious matters at hand. The statues had finally fallen and were not able to get back up. It's time. Makoto and Minako fired first, the trails flying in their bullets' wakes gaining the ability to halt any further movements. Following immediately afterwards, Sanada aimed at the nemesis, his own amplifying the strength of the barriers. The lightning-fast shots rocketing from Yukari's Evoker made the defense perfect while Mitsuru's distracted the foe as it attempted to recover, punishing it horribly as bursts of immense pain ricocheted across its body. The torment was far from over as Sasuke dealt his justice, the pin-point precision of Itachi's next assault combining with his brother's to make the victim writhe in total agony. The blinding flash originating from Naruto's weapon rendered the target completely helpless and combined with the resulting impacts from his own and Koromaru's pistols, the Arcana Hanged Man was as good as dead. And actually was if the thousands of black specks flying about were any indication.

There were no more. Mitsuru growled as she prowled toward the murderer of her father. "Give it up. We just foiled your plans, Nyx no longer able to revive with its fragments dea—"

"You fools!" Shuji cackled, the harrowing sound escalating in no time flat. The sound was far more unsettling than it ever had been. And _that's_ saying something. "Destroying the Full Moon Shadows doesn't stop Nyx from reviving, it _causes_ Nyx to revive!"

Oh no. Oh no! He must be lying! "YOU MUST BE LYING!"

"Why else do you think I didn't try to stop you? Why do you think I didn't make each of the Full Moon Shadows attack you all at once?" The demented grin only grew as realization dawned on the nine. "I manipulated you all into instigating the revival of Nyx!"

The sky seemed to open up as a hole was torn into the roof of the lab, the dark dust of the deceased demons rising into that chasm. An arm peeked out.

"FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY!" Akihiko's jaw smashed into oblivion.

Terror overtook Yukari. "WHAT IS THAT?!"

"MON DIEU!" My God indeed.

A sole silver hue bugged wide. "WHAT THE?!"

"NANI?!" Minako cried out.

Koromaru, the normally fearless Shiba, shrank back in terror. "Nnnn. Nnnn."

"OH MY GOD!" Naruto screamed.

"..."

"..."

Both Uchiha brothers were at an utter loss for words. They just couldn't speak at what was unfolding right above them. What a mistake they made. One that could end all of humanity.

Maniacal laughter filled the air as Ikutsuki stretched his arms toward the sky. "Let The Fall begin!"

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Yoshi=All right, Nani=What

•French: Qu'est-ce que l=What the, Incroyable=Incredible, Mon Dieu=My God

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	27. Chapter 27

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** for reviewing the previous chapter followed by twelve of my author's notes! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Nice! How cool **Jazz**! How wonderful! You like it that much, huh? (:

Happy New Year's! WOO! To celebrate, I decided to post a chapter today! YAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Maniacal laughter filled the air as Ikutsuki stretched his arms toward the sky. "Let The Fall begin!"_

The being before the nine towered high above them all _combined_, the full moon above it only making the ominous features of the creature even more prominent. The silver light outlined the two pairs of sable wings that rivaled the blackness of the darkest nights, mocking the heavenly glow of angelic wings. What appeared to be the crown of a king chess piece rested upon a deathly pale face devoid of skin and life stared at the group with a ghastly gaze as gainsboro armor solely made it more imposing. The humongous sword that it wielded did not help matters. At. All.

Hands flew to Mitsuru's mouth in an instant. "What's going on? Wait, are you—"

"Death itself." Even the most sociopathic of serial killers would have been absolutely _terrified_ at the utterly psychopathic smirk spreading across Shuji's arrogant mug.

Soulless sockets stared on as the being slowly descended from the fissure in the sky. "I am merely a harbringer of The Fall. Though it would be more correct to say that is what I once was. There is no longer a distinction to be made between Nyx and myself."

"Is that so?" Akihiko stepped up. "Well regardless, I don't regret my decision. I'll defeat you, no matter what you are!"

The reaper had finally landed on the tarnished roof of the lab, gazing down at the group. "I see. Then, you must already know. What people fear most...what they try to ignore...that is what I am."

"We know that already." Makoto held no doubt inside whatsoever.

Nor did the Sanada. "Yeah. Everyone does."

"It's the one certainty for all living things." Neither did the Kirijo.

The fiend scoffed. "Then you must also understand that it is futile to resist. Will you still face me? There must be trembling in your hearts."

"Yeah, of course I'm scared." Naruto clenched a fist. "But who cares about that right now? I got too much to live for!"

Yukari glared at the foe. "I'm not gonna live in fear anymore! Being really alive means not turning away from death. So I won't turn and cower, not even to you!"

"I will stop you, even if I must sacrifice myself to do so." Resolution radiated from Itachi as he stared straight into the soulless sockets, not a trace of fear in him. "I do this of my own choice!"

The avatar gave a solemn nod. "...I see."

"Everyone, let's go!" Everyone followed Minako's instructions, using the miscellaneous equipment strewn about to climb to the roof. Where Nyx was waiting for them.

The demon flapped its wings in anticipation. "Come to me, Fools 0 and 22."

"This is the final battle." The magenta held her ground. "Failure is not an option!"

Sasuke sneered. "Like we don't know that."

"GRRRRRRRRRRR!" Koromaru was more than ready.

And the battle begun. Makoto and Minako fired first, the trails flying in their bullets' wakes gaining the ability to halt any further movements. Following immediately afterwards, Sanada aimed at the nemesis, his own amplifying the strength of the barriers. The lightning-fast shots rocketing from Yukari's Evoker made the defense perfect while Mitsuru's distracted the foe as it attempted to recover, punishing it horribly as bursts of immense pain ricocheted across its body. The torment was far from over as Sasuke dealt his justice, the pin-point precision of Itachi's next assault combining with his brother's to make the victim writhe in total agony. The blinding flash originating from Naruto's weapon rendered the target completely helpless and combined with the resulting impacts from his own and Koromaru's pistols, Nyx was as good as dead. Or was it? Was it?

"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate." Nah. Nine mouths dropped wide open in shock as the enemy emerged practically unscathed, arrogant smile on its face. It was as though nothing had happened, as though they hadn't even attacked. "Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yes, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination." It rose into the air, what appeared to be the Fool tarot abruptly appearing as it lifted an arm and changing to that of the Magician before disappearing just as fast.

All were on their guard. "Nyx must have somehow altered its properties! Be careful!" No one took Mitsuru's words for granted. As if on cue, the nemesis swept a hand, spontaneous combustions enveloping its prey. It was a miracle nobody had been roasted to death.

"THAT HURT!" The Uzumaki yowled. "THAT'S IT!" The blond unloaded magazine upon magazine onto the creature in an act of revenge. How no one became blind at the end of all that is a mystery that could never be solved.

Yet a particularly powerful blast of fire stopped him short. "Why you!" Guess who started unleashing his justice upon the monster immediately afterwards? That's right! Sasuke had leapt in front of Naruto, standing protectively over him as he retaliated against the beast. And what a retaliation.

"Here!" Arisato fired skyward, the raining sparkles from the blast landing on the injured, healing him as well as the rest.

The flaxen stood up instantly. "Thanks."

"No problem!" The girl beamed. The beaming only got brighter and brighter as everyone else had joined in.

However, that was the least of their problems. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. The silent voice within one's heart whispers the most profound wisdom." The creature rose up once more, the Magician tarot becoming the Priestess this time around.

"Crap! It changed again!" Akihiko cursed. However, there was no time for such cursing as ice abruptly emerged from the ground, the nine hardly avoiding being frozen to death as walls upon walls of ice sprang from the floor. Yukari shot at a rapid fire pace, preventing the icicles from drawing nearer. Koromaru took that opportunity to spring ahead, blasting hole upon hole into the foe. The flaming bullets courtesy of Minako and Makoto did not provide Nyx any relief, only increasing the torment hundredfold. The enhanced encore provided by the Sanada solely made things worse for the fiend. Too bad it had difficulty retaliating due to Mitsuru's shots making it difficult to focus, the resulting punishment not helping matters in the slightest. The blinding brilliance followed by the agonizing assault and infallibly accurate barrage were the icing on the cake.

Too bad that cake could not be enjoyed for long. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Celebrate life's grandeur...its brilliance...its magnificence." And the Priestess became the Empress. The ominous green luminescence that erupted from below was definitely not fun to deal with. Especially when it started to target each one individually. Turns out when that happens, it becomes more difficult to dodge. And more difficult for Takeba to know which one to defend. That isn't good.

"This is bad!" Naruto cried. There was no hope, or was there?

Of course. "Don't worry." And his name happens to be Itachi. He glanced at Yukari. "Could you please fire at me, no matter who the light next targets?"

"...Okay. I'll trust you." And she did just that. Although everyone else kept on being stricken, the raven wasn't, allowing him the concentration necessary to assail the foe. Which he did.

He did until the point things had to be changed up once more. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer." The Empress morphed into the Emperor.

But that wasn't the end of that. "RUN!" The nine barely leapt away in time as lightning began to rain from the heavens, smoke sizzling only inches away from each. Akihiko growled. "We've got to be careful around this thing or else we'll be electrocuted!" As if on cue, even more electricity struck from above, wave upon wave striking down.

"I got it!" Yukari aimed, firing straight at the voltage...which went past those shots as though they were nothing.

The targets scarcely avoided being burnt to a crisp. Mitsuru frowned. "Those bolts must not be able to be blocked!"

"Let's try something else then." She watched as Makoto fired at a spot on the floor only inches from the beast itself, them all witnessing as further current was diverted to that single place. "That bullet will act as a lightning rod so the bolts will be redirected."

Minako quirked a brow. "Why didn't you just aim at Nyx itself?"

"I didn't want to take the risk." A chin was scratched. "It seems as though it is immune to electricity and in fact, electricity would actually make it stronger. Just like with the Arcana Hermit."

Naruto was confused. "But what if Nyx can actually absorb that electricity unlike the Arcana Hermit who couldn't?" All heads turned as the creature did just that...only for nothing to happen.

"The electricity is drained and nothing can stop its flow, even the source itself. Even Nyx can't." The explainer shrugged. That was made evident by the fact that a particularly strong strike had been sucked in and nullified. On the spot.

Sasuke sighed, stepping forward. "Less talking and more fighting." BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

"Let's finish this!" The rest followed Itachi's lead as he began targeting all the weak points with impeccable accuracy, assailing the fiend endlessly.

But then it had enough. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself." The Emperor switched to the Hierophant. The creature then raised an arm up, a golden aura surrounding itself and the nine.

"Huh?!" Naruto cried out in shock. "What happened to us?! What did Nyx do to us?!"

Itachi scratched his chin. "It seems as though it increased our critical rate as well as its own." He was immediately on guard. "Be careful! Even though we can land critical hits more easily, Nyx can too!" No one ignored the man as they evaded an oncoming swing, jumping out of the way of a subsequent jab. The hits were becoming harder and harder to avoid.

"Listen up!" All turned their attention to Sasuke as he called midair. "Yukari, Akihiko...protect us from any oncoming attacks and don't stop! The rest of us must focus on attacking as much as possible!"

The addressed pair nodded. "Right!" The defense the two created prevented any further sword strikes from coming near, allowing the other seven to gather, aiming for the weakest points on the fiend. That was made super simple by Itachi's pin-point precise shots and Mitsuru's outlining their trajectories.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another." The enemy deflected its opponents' attacks as it rose once more, the Hierophant becoming the Lovers.

Before any of them could react, an arrow was fired, striking Naruto dead-on. "What the?!" Pink hearts spontaneously appeared, swirling around him. As if possessed his arm rose on its own, Evoker fired at Sasuke. Thank goodness Takeba was able to block the offense in the nick of time. "HELP! I'M BEING CONTROLLED!" To make matters worse, a sudden shockwave rippled through the ground, inflicting a sense of horrid panic into all affected, them all running about in a craze. That, along with Naruto uncontrollably firing at his own allies and the flames erupting from the foe, made the situation all the more difficult.

"BUKKOROSU!" Sasuke had managed to avoid the terror-inducing wave, charging at the enemy with a vengeance. The normally aloof and stoic male was not present as he dealt his justice as had never been seen before, able to break the curses casted on the rest by sheer power. I wonder what triggered him?

Nyx was barely able to shake him off as it made to change once more. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. One of life's greatest blessings is the freedom to pursue one's goals." The Lovers was no longer present as the Chariot took its place, light gathering around the foe as it concentrated.

"We have to attack now before Nyx has finished charging!" All did as the elder Uchiha said, not skipping a beat. Both Fools subsequently locked onto the foe, their shots paralyzing it. Any and all counterattacks were deflected by Yukari as the rest joined the two in assailing the enemy, raining an endless shower of bullets upon it. The diverting devastating blasts. The enhanced encores of said effects. The forceful shockwaves. The blinding bursts. The unbearable agony of piercing metal. The absolutely accurate snipes. It was all too much for the creature's current self who wasn't able to land a single hit even after storing strength.

And that's why it changed. Again. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty." From Chariot to Justice. It lifted its arms, several cards of light emerging from the ground.

"If that hits, you die!" Like we need Shuji's taunting right now.

All fled from the shapes in an instant. None of them wanted to lose their lives after all. Too bad the raging flames shooting from the foe made it difficult to move around. One of the cards was dangerously close to a certain someone. "WATCH OUT!" Itachi barely made it in time to push Sasuke out of the way, he himself narrowly surviving by the skin on his teeth. If looks could kill, the glare shot at the fiend would drop it dead in an instant. Or just about anyone. "SHEE-NEI!" You wouldn't believe what went on next if you hadn't seen it for yourself; Itachi fired in all directions, some of the bullets seeming to miss their mark...or not as the shooter shot bullets at those bullets with inhuman speed and precision, causing them to ricochet, all bullets piercing the target at vital spots, bypassing all defenses the creature had had. It was so rare for the normally stoic man to lose his temper so completely and absolutely. If it had been anyone else, that merciless assault would have brutally murdered them. Too bad Death is not just anyone else.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly, and forge one's own path." Justice turned into the Hermit.

Pitch-black flames abruptly erupted from the ground, threatening to immolate those who are caught in its incinerating blaze. "You'll die if those touch you!" Once again.

"Like I'll let you!" Naruto jumped in at that moment, firing round upon round of blinding brilliance, the unbearable light preventing the being from knowing where to direct those deathly flames. Mitsuru and Akihiko only added to the diversion, Yukari blocking any and all possible counterattacks. Amidst the extreme radiance, Koromaru fired blast upon blast, Sasuke's absolute assault and Itachi's assisting snipes only increasing the intensity of the barrage hundredfold. Minako's and Makoto's shots were just the cherry on top.

Nyx was forced to transmute once again. "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty." The Hermit morphed into Fortune. Wind, fire, ice, and electricity raged on and on throughout the field, the group assailed from all angles. It was a miracle upon miracles none of them had been stricken.

"We can't use any of the elements Nyx just used since it might be immune in its state." The Kirijo cocked her pistol. "That being said, let's give it our all!" Yukari shot at a rapid fire pace, preventing the pillars from drawing nearer. Koromaru took that opportunity to spring ahead, blasting hole upon hole into the foe. The brutal bullets courtesy of Minako and Makoto did not provide Nyx any relief, only increasing the torment hundredfold. The enhanced encore provided by the Sanada solely made things worse for the fiend. Too bad it had difficulty retaliating due to Mitsuru's shots making it difficult to focus, the resulting punishment not helping matters in the slightest. The blinding brilliance followed by the agonizing assault and infallibly accurate barrage were the icing on the cake.

Guess what happens next? "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment." That's right! Fortune became Strength! And once again, Nyx was charging up.

"Oh crap! We need to stop it again!" It wasn't so easy this time around though. It swept a hand, the nine flinching as their defenses decreased. And now the group had to dodge a blurry barrage of sword slashes or be annihilated.

Or did they? "Here goes."

"What?" The weapon had been pried courtesy of Itachi, the other eight closing in in an instant. Mitsuru and Yukari worked on distracting the enemy while Akihiko assisted them, Minako and Makoto jumping in at that moment, their combined shots binding the nemesis momentarily. Koromaru bounded forward, him along with Sasuke and Naruto firing full-force, dealing massive damage.

Or did they? "The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. In the face of disaster lies opportunity for renewal." Strength transformed into the Hanged Man. Uh oh. Dark flames once again blazed on. Panic spread amongst the nine once more. Threats of instant death returned. They were all doomed, right? Wrong.

"Here!" Overcoming his terror for a moment, Yuki was able to fire skywards, the raining sparkles curing them of their ailments. And it was time to get serious. Makoto and Minako started it off, their blasts rendering the target temporarily immobile. Yukari's shots deflected every attempt at countering while Mitsuru's diverted its focus, punishing it horribly for doing so. Naruto kept it from being able to see Sasuke's and Koromaru's barrages, it not even knowing where the bullets came from. Nor did it know where the relentless shower that struck every possible place originated at. We all know where...from Itachi.

Yet they were not even close to winning. "The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge he sealed his fate." Nyx shook them all off, rising into the air like so many times before. "Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yes, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end. It matters not who you are...Death awaits you." The Hanged Man was replaced by a tarot picturing a skull amidst a pair of steel double-doors and above a set of stone stairs. Just what could it be?

"Death! Nyx's true Arcana must be Death! Don't let your guards down for even one second!" Nobody dared to refute Mitsuru's instruction, all on the ready. Icebergs of massive proportions. Static storms. Gale-force winds. Infernal conflagrations. It was a miracle upon the most holy and merciful of miracles that no one had been killed on the spot from any of those four ailments. It was an even greater miracle that they were able to land in several of their own shots, Yukari somehow managing to block the rampaging onslaught with the help of Akihiko and the Fools, allowing the rest to go on the offensive without holding back.

There was something strange however. "It appears Nyx has more health and is more powerful than before." The Sanada gritted his teeth. "How is this even possible?!"

"You haven't seen anything yet." Why was Shuji cackling in such a maniacal fashion that made all his other times appear completely sane?

Let's find out. "You cannot avoid death. To live is to die; they are one and the same." At that moment, the creature wrapped its two pairs of wings around itself, a distorting sphere surrounding it as those limbs unfurled.

"Just try defeating Nyx with its Moonless Gown attached!" Can't that guy just shut up?!

There were far worse matters than just having to bear that grating voice however. "I WILL!" However, the moment Naruto fired his blast, an identical one shot from the foe, Minako and Makoto hardly able to block the blinding brilliance in time as Takeba and Akihiko hardly repelled the resulting impact. As the unbearable light dimmed, the creature was revealed to the nine, completely unscathed from that attempt. As though the blond never pulled the trigger on it in the first place.

"It seems as though Nyx can reflect our attacks with its Moonless Gown!" Sasuke growled. "We can't attack while it's active!"

Itachi nodded. "We must wait until Moonless Gown wears off and evade Nyx in the meantime!"

"How do we know it'll even wear off?!" Naruto demanded. "For all we know, this could be permanent!"

A grimace spread across the elder Uchiha's lips. "We have no choice but to try."

Guess how difficult it was to evade the icebergs of massive proportions, static storms, gale-force winds, and infernal conflagrations all while being unable to retaliate, forced to remain on the defensive? Add a creepy smile that instilled absolute terror into even the hardest and bravest of hearts and doing such things was practically impossible as they panicked. To make things even worse, purple haze surrounded the group, weakening their offenses and defenses while the foe raised its own. What terrible luck.

But at last, the barrier broke. "NOW!" Thanks to the Fools, everyone had been cured of their ailments. And all advanced on the now vulnerable enemy. Yukari fired first, her and Akihiko's shots providing the perfect defense as Mitsuru and Naruto joined them, the beautiful trails and blinding brilliance deterring the foe and punishing it while Koromaru and Sasuke joined in on said punishment. Minako and Makoto only made things even worse for the creature. And don't forget the pin-point precision of a certain someone aka Itachi.

"Let us finish this. It is the path of your choosing." The giant columns of crimson light raining from the heavens shocked the fighters beyond belief, cutting their assault short. Yukari began panicking as Akihiko was frozen in a block of ice. Koromaru ran about in a frenzy as fear had taken control of him while Mitsuru was in distress, not able to act at all. It didn't help matters that Yuki had been shocked while Arisato was made too dizzy to see straight.

But one of them had been more affected than the others. "NARUTO-KUN!" Itachi rushed to the blond's side despite having been poisoned by the last attack, frantically gathering the boy in his arms. "NARUTO-KUN! NARUTO-KUN!" At last blue eyes opened again. If you had looked at the elder Uchiha at that moment, you would not recognize him as the normally stoic man he is as relief crashed upon him in waves. "Thank goodness you're alrigh—"

"WATCH OUT!" The Uzumaki's arm moved as though it had a mind of its own, trigger pulled as the muzzle was pointed at the man point-blank. Itachi's quick reflexes saved him just in time. However, the toxins took hold of his body, the afflicted doubling over in pain.

Naruto possessed against his will. Itachi coughing up blood. Both triggered something horrible within Sasuke. "I'LL KILL YOU! DIE YOU PIECE OF SCUM! DIE!" Rage had taken hold of the raven. An endless storm of metal poured from his Evoker without even a second's pause, the victim covered from head to toe in cysts. Justice was definitely being delivered. Big time. It got to the point the target couldn't even shield itself with its wings let alone recast Moonless Gown. The bullets simply kept on raining, the shower growing stronger and stronger every moment that passed. Talk about revenge for hurting those he held dear. Wait 'those'?!

"LOOK OUT!" However, Sasuke simply side-stepped the bullet Naruto unintentionally fired at him, the blinding brilliance instead striking Nyx, its concentration dropping considerably.

Makoto took full advantage of that. Through the unbearable pain the static the electricity inflicted, he was just able to pull the trigger with his weapon pointed skyward, the resulting sparks calming the peach, the pooch, and the magenta down as the ice encasing the Sanada melted, the brunet's focus regained while Itachi was cured. Naruto regained control of his body. However, not everything was right as rain.

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Sasuke had yet to calm down in the slightest. Just how much of his rage is a status condition and just how much of it is his own? It seems like it's 100% Sasuke's judging by how he continued to brutalize the being without any inhibitions. No wonder it was finished off. Why was he so angry in the first place?! We all know the answer to that.

At last the storm had ceased. "SASUKE!" Itachi and Naruto dove for the raven at the same time, catching him in their arms simultaneously. The previously enraged was on the verge of collapsing, having to be held up by both in order to not fall.

"Orokana otouto..." The fond smile on the older brother's lips belied such words.

The fulvous snickered. "Teme." Same with him.

"Tch." There was no concealing the crimson coating those pale cheeks though.

However, it was not over yet. "...Did we do it?" Mitsuru muttered.

"Such a pity." Nine mouths dropped open as Nyx got up, slowly ascending. "You understand fate, yet you still fight against it with all your will. If more people were like you, then perhaps The Fall could have been prevented...but it's too late now."

Naruto shrieked as cracks covered the lunar surface, a metallic structure akin to a scarlet eye opening. "Th-The moon!"

"What is that?!" Yukari screamed.

Minako squinted her eyes. "Nyx's being swallowed up by the moon...wait...no, that's not it!" She gasped. "Is the moon getting closer?!"

"Wait just a second here..." Akihiko's eyes bugged wide as the creature fired a beam at the iris. "Is the moon itself Nyx?!"

Makoto could not move a muscle. "Soon...it will soon descend upon us all."

"Am I crazy, or is it getting closer?! I-It's falling out of the sky!" Hands clasped the Uzumaki's head as he began panicking.

Even Sasuke could not keep calm in such a situation. "I-It's the end! The world is ending!"

"NNNN! NNNN!" Tail was tucked firmly between Koromaru's legs as he whimpered.

Only one was happy at this outcome. "Amazing. Look at the moon. Hahaha, this is incredible! The end of the world's really come! It's here at last! Hahaha! AHAHAHAHHAA!" To think Shuji could become even more insane than he usually is. Wow. "ALL HAIL THE FAL—" An Evoker to the neck shut him up. Finally.

"My aim is impeccable with more than just my bullets." Itachi scoffed from where he stood, picking his weapon up from beside the unconscious man. How he can remain composed in such an apocalyptic situation is a mystery. But enough of that. "Makoto-kun, Minako-san." The addressed faced the speaker in an instant. He continued as soon as all eyes were on him. "Since you both are the Fools, your Evokers will adapt to the situation at hand what with your unlimited potential, am I right?"

The girl appeared confused. "...Right."

"What are you thinking, Itachi-san?" And he explained his plan in full detail.

Not all were convinced though. "Are you sure this will work?!" Takeba exclaimed.

"I'll trust you." The Sanada gave a single nod. "I'm in!"

Mitsuru nodded too. "So am I. Allons-y!"

"ARF! ARF!" And so was Koromaru.

Sasuke grunted. "We have no other choice."

"Let's do this!" Naruto pumped a fist.

Itachi smiled. "Yes. Let's."

The seven went behind the two Fools, hands—and paws—on their backs as the pair pointed their Evokers at the moon, firing straight at it. The nine poured in all their feelings, all their emotions, all their experiences, all their memories, all their time spent together, all their bonds, all their will to live, all of what they are into the dual blasts aimed skyward.

The bullets went up, up, up...until they reached their target.

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: Bukkorosu=I'm going to hit and kill you, Shee-nei=Die, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother

•French: Allons-y=Let's go

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	28. Chapter 28

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Jazz** who is also **Sefirosa** for reviewing the previous chapter followed by four of my author's notes as well as Waltzing In—favoriting it afterwards with **Neymar Jr **doing both later following as **Ren-chan the otaku** just performed the last two not forgetting **japanloveroffood** before **pheonixlegend** for simply enacting the former while **Guest** solely commented—plus **blistexQueen** in addition to **YaoiBunny8702** for favoriting Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thank you **Neymar Jr**! ^_^

Nice **Sefirosa**! :D

Wow! :3

I'm glad they did too! C:

Good luck on your own story! Do your best! (:

Paalam! J:

I'll think about it **Guest**! Who knows? ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Persona 3. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The bullets went up, up, up...until they reached their target._

Nothing could stop their advance. Not the nearly 240,000 miles between Earth and the moon. Not the immense pull of gravity. Not the thick atmosphere surrounding the planet. Not the vacuum of space. Not the intimidating glare of the lunar surface. Not even Nyx itself as it launched an endless barrage of crimson orbs of plasma at the projectiles in an attempt to halt their procession but to no avail. Nothing could neither stop nor slow the bullets.

It was not until they struck the bullseye dead-on did they do both, not until they struck the iris of the looming, ominous eye in its dead center. A mournful, tormented howl reverberated through the night as the creature disintegrated upon impact, the eye closing and staying closed as though it never opened in the first place. The mass also moved back to its original location, no longer a threat of crashing into the Earth.

But that was not the only change that occurred. "WHAT THE?!" Tremors overtook the building as it changed shape once more, the tarnished lab reverting to a regular classroom, the architecture itself morphing back to that of a school. A school familiar to its students. The nine were able to go into said classroom as they jumped through the hole in the roof before it repaired itself, Shuji's unconscious form unceremoniously dragged with them courtesy of Koromaru.

"LOOK!" The sky no longer glowed an eerie green, reverting back to a normal black while the numerous puddles of blood vaporized instantly. All lingering Shadows dissolved with no trace to be found.

A loud ding alerted its owner's attention, him reaching into his pocket. "Electronics seem to be working again." Itachi's phone was in complete working order as though it hadn't malfunctioned earlier.

"Uh..." All eyes snapped to the previously comatose teen as the coffin he had been lying in vanished into thin air, groans leaving his lips as his eyes finally blinked open. "How the heck did I manage to fall asleep here and in school of all places?!" Shaking his tiredness off, the guy proceeded to pick himself from a gap between two desks and walk out of the door, still visible as he could be seen leaving the entrance to the institution without any event. How he hadn't noticed the eight people and dog staring at him the whole time is a mystery that can never be solved.

Not that anyone cared to. "YES! THE DARK HOUR IS GONE!" Naruto pumped his fists as he cheered.

"At last. It's over." A sigh of relief rushed out of Mitsuru's lips.

Akihiko sighed. "That was the longest hour of my life."

"And of mine as well." Makoto seconded.

Minako beamed. "Apathy Syndrome will now be a thing of the past!"

"Where it will hopefully stay forever." Yukari giggled. "People will no longer mysteriously vanish and be found despondent then die days later!"

A tail wagged wildly. "WOOF! WOOF!"

"Finally." Sasuke smirked.

A clearing of the throat drew everyone's attention to its source. The elder Uchiha gazed at the rest of the group. "And it's all thanks to you."

"And you too!" The Uzumaki crossed his arms. "You and Sasuke gave us the information we needed to know where to start!"

Arisato grinned as she addressed the speaker. "And I'm glad you had Shikamaru help us!"

"And the three of you made us realize we just couldn't stand there and do nothing any longer!" Yukari added, grin just as bright.

Yuki shrugged. "And it was Itachi-san's idea for Minako and I to fire at the moon with all of us pouring everything we had into those shots."

"If we hadn't done that, Nyx would still be around." The Sanada frowned.

The Kirijo grimaced. "And everybody would have died from The Fall. The world would have ended."

"So we thank you." The five and the pooch bowed at the three, expressing their deepest gratitude.

The blond snickered. "It's no problem!"

"...Sure." That one word was almost inaudible. But everyone had heard Sasuke.

Itachi smiled. "Of course." And that smile morphed into a smirk. "But we still have loose ends to tie up."

* * *

The 15th of December

"UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT!"

When Shuji at last regained consciousness, the first thing he found out was that his wrists were handcuffed behind his back. Not a fun way to wake up in the morning. What was even less fun was _where_ he woke up: in a jail cell. If this was a dream, he wanted to wake up _right now_. He should be back on his cozy, humongous canopy bed in his grand mansion plotting his next experiments for the night! Too bad Ikutsuki wasn't dreaming. Or more like thank goodness.

What a terrible morning. It was only made worse once he saw who came up to him. "Thanks to Mitsuru-san's help, we and our connections at Uchiha Incorporated were able to pin significant evidence of your guilt." Itachi crossed his arms. "We were able to prove you were responsible for the disappearances of those police officers and everyone else who was affected by Apathy Syndrome and died from it."

"You can no longer get away with murdering otou-sama!" Yukari screeched.

The mentioned glared at the man standing behind bars. "Neither will you get away with killing my father anymore."

"I WILL GET OUT AND HAVE MY REVENGE! YOU'LL SEE!" The maniacal snarled at his not-so-welcome, not-so-invited visitors.

Akihiko scoffed. "Oh please. You're no longer in power."

"Mitsuru has taken her place as the rightful owner of the Kirijo Group." Sasuke sneered. "How a brain-dead moron was allowed to run the shots for so long when there is someone _far_ more capable is beyond me."

Naruto grinned. "Mitsuru is the heiress after all. What else did you expect?"

"But she's not even 18 yet!" The imprisoned protested.

Minako placed her hands on her hips. "Her birthday is in about six months. Close enough."

"You can no longer exploit your ties to get away with your crimes." Makoto stared at the addressed with nothing but contempt in his silver eyes. "No one liked you anyways. They only went along with you because they feared being killed but not anymore."

A feral scowl crossed the jailed's lips. "WHY YOU LITTLE B—"

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" An unmanly shriek escaped the incarcerated's lips as he frantically scrambled away from the pooch ready to tear him apart from limb to limb. Even the metal bars wouldn't be able to save him.

Shuji watched as the nine walked away at that moment, hardly resembling the sociopathic psychopath he is as he stared on at their retreating forms in absolute terror.

* * *

"I'm glad we got that over with."

The group had gathered outside of the Iwatodai Dormitory. For the first time in a long time, all could hang out in peace. No secrets. No disbelief. No hidden hour of the night which leaves most involved dead. None of that.

But too bad it couldn't last. Yukari pouted. "Are you sure you guys have to go now?!"

"I'm sad to say we must." Itachi bowed. The travelers had already packed their bags, ready to go at a moment's notice.

Naruto beamed. "But we'll visit, remember?" The upset immediately brightened at that, no longer sad.

The oldest followed. "I'm glad we went here. I hope the rest of our trip will be just as wonderful."

"...Hn." The hubristic mumbled.

The man smirked. "Orokana otouto..." His features then softened as he turned back to the others. "Let's exchange information. It will come in handy for communicating with each other."

"All right." They did just that, sharing their contacts amongst themselves.

The stoic narrowed his eyes. "Don't give this information to just anyone. That could be dangerous."

"Likewise." Akihiko nodded. The trio exchanged that nod.

Mitsuru's lips morphed into a smile. "We will never forget you three. It's thanks to you that everything is back to normal."

"You guys too!" The Uzumaki snickered.

Minako giggled. "But you three gave us the push and information we needed to do so."

"Hehe...thanks." The blond flushed.

Makoto cleared his throat, drawing the three's attention to him. "You will be back for the trial that'll take place in a few weeks, right?"

"Right." Itachi affirmed. "Sasuke and I will bring physical forms of the evidence needed to convict Ikutsuki for sure."

The burgundy clenched a fist. "And I will testify against that foul man for what he did to me!"

"As will I!" The peach declared.

That fist then unfurled. "...I will also reveal my true identity as a Kirijo and apologize for making everyone think my last name is Rojiki." Bangs shaded magenta hues. "It was wrong of me to lie for all those years. I need to make it up to everyone."

"We wish you the best of luck on that." A smile crossed the elder Uchiha's lips. "I know this will not be easy what with so much at stake now that everyone will know that you are not only connected to the Kirijo Group, but are now the head of it."

Determination blazed on. "I will do whatever it takes to cleanse my tainted name. For my father who died and everyone involved, I swear on it." The flames only burned stronger. "I will forge unbreakable bonds and defend them with all my might."

"I see..." Itachi chuckled. "I am looking forward to helping you on that." And then they shook hands. From then on, the Kirijo Group and Uchiha Incorporated were no longer rivals...but were partners.

And then it was time to go. Arisato started to wave. "Bye! See you again!"

"You better not forget!" Yuki yelled.

Takeba grinned. "I can't wait to see you all again!"

"Don't be strangers." The Sanada stated.

Mitsuru smiled. "Come back soon! À plus tard!"

"WOOF! WOOF!" Let's just say the three ended up being covered in slobber.

Not that Naruto minded. "It'll be nice to see you again!"

"...Bye." Everyone had heard that grunt despite how quiet it had been.

Itachi chuckled. "Thank you so much for having us." After cleaning up, the three headed for the oldest's car, entering it.

The two groups continued to exchange partings as the vehicle began to drive off, the six seeing them off long after they had disappeared beyond the horizon.

* * *

"Do you have anything you want to discuss with me, little brother of mine?"

The three had been on the road for several hours. The distance they had been traveling was greater than from Lumiose City to Iwatodai and Traverse Town to Lumiose City. It's as though they were driving past both...

Sasuke refused to make eye contact with those all-knowing eyes. "What are you talking about nii-san?"

"How berserk you were after Nyx had possessed Naruto, how enraged you were after it cursed us all..." A knowing glint shone in deep black eyes. "Me being hurt wasn't your only trigger." A smirk crossed those lips. "Anything else?" Of course he knew anyways.

Not that Sasuke would allow his older brother such satisfaction. "...Hn."

"Uh..." The blond chose that moment to wake up, cutting the conversation short. The younger of the siblings was secretly relieved as blue eyes flicked open. "...Are we there yet?"

A kind smile was casted at the Uzumaki. "We're close to our destination Naruto-kun." Oh Itachi's kind to him but not to his own brother?! Said brother narrowed his eyes at such a thought. No fair.

"That's great!" The flaxen had not noticed the narrowing of those eyes. Thank goodness.

However, he _had_ noticed the smirk making its way onto the eldest's lips. "We are going to see some familiar faces again."

"Are we going back to Lumiose City?" A head shook. "Traverse Town?" It shook again. "Did we turn around and are headed back to Iwatodai?!" Again, that head shook.

Sasuke scoffed. "We left Iwatodai behind quite some time ago and passed the other two places dobe."

"Teme." The offended stuck his tongue out in a gesture of blatant disrespect. Not that the other cared.

Itachi laughed, breaking up their glaring contest. "Where we are going is new to you."

"Then what did you mean by what you said?!" Poor boy was so confused!

The enigmatic chuckling did not help matters. At. All. "You'll see." At last they reached the hotel they would be staying in for the time being. "Let's rest up first. We had a hectic past few days."

And rest up they did. Of course, Naruto just _had_ to call some certain people. Shikamaru sighed, bemoaning how everything was so troublesome. The blond _swore_ Kiba had fainted when he told the brunet of what he had been up to the past 48 hours. Chōji was no better. Ha! They should have believed him in the first place!

"Naruto-kun, it's time to go out for dinner." The elder's instruction prompted the addressed to hang up, him getting ready to go out.

He was done in a matter of minutes. "Let's go!" And go they did.

The three walked towards a little restaurant within the establishment. The fulvous could _swear_ Itachi shared a knowing look with Sasuke who only scoffed at such a gesture. He could _swear_ Itachi had taken out his phone. He could _swear_ a smug smirk crossed Itachi's lips. Or maybe he was seeing things. Or was he? Nothing's ever too certain with Itachi, that's for sure. It was certainly strange that they were seated at such a large table with so many empty seats though...

"Let's order our food." The younger two did as the older said, reading through what had been passed to them, reading through all the options.

The Uzumaki could _swear_ something was coming their way, or rather someone. Perhaps not. The fatigue must be getting to him. He was so concentrated on reading what there was to offer that he almost missed the two voices that called out.

"Long time no see."

"Hello there!"

Naruto gasped, eyes bugged wide as he saw who was approaching them. The menu had been long forgotten. "Leon?! Aerith?!"

* * *

Translation:

•Japanese: otou-sama=father, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, nii-san=older brother

•French: À plus tard=See you later

So what do you want me for them to do in the Dissidia Duodecim portion of this story **Sefirosa**? Since none of the Kingdom Hearts characters have powers nor fight in this story, I don't think any of the Dissidia Duodecim characters should fight either because both series have some characters in common. Do you have any ideas?

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	29. Chapter 29

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa** for reviewing the previous chapter—but not **Guest** for flaming me there—followed by **DestinyBrony** for favoriting Ghost Most in addition to **maryranstadler1** for commenting on, favoriting, and following Waltzing In, Skater Shadowing anterior to Hetalia on Ice yet **NHearts** just did the last two on the second &amp; **YoseiOfTheWest** enacting the first on the third versus **Tao Tzu** doing so for the one after the first—**Magentacrazedgirl8** for evaluating next favoriting Waltzing In, Skater Shadowing before Hetalia on Ice while a second **Guest** just did the former as **Onyx Viper**, **bls123** who also favorited Waltzing In, **Miyucchi sang Cappuccino** not forgetting **Lottie's Tsubasa **performed the last two whereas another **Guest** then **BloodyKiss11** assessed Hetalia on Ice too as **Jace Wilt** had followed it along with the former although **carolina. pontes. 12** did that plus favoriting it—with **1412kk** prior to **LowBlooded-Bipolar** for favoriting sans leaving out following Waltzing In—**Neymar Jr** having done both in Hetalia on Ice posterior to complimenting me in the same place—when **magi889** simply favorited it preliminary to **animaniac-aizel012 **for solely favoriting Skater Shadowing! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

"please delete your account and all your story because they're all yaoi.. disgusting freak."

Wow. That was simply rude and uncalled for **Guest**. By the way, I am _NOT_ listening to your so-called advice and even deleted your scathing remark. Ò_Ó

By the way, I do indeed have non-yaoi stories so your claim is nullified. -_-

Thanks **Sefirosa**! :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH **maryranstadler1**! XD

I really appreciate it **Magentacrazedgirl8**! (:

No problem second **Guest**! ^_^

Yep third **Guest**! :P

Nope. /:

I'm happy you enjoyed it **BloodyKiss11**! J:

Hmm...I'm not sure. That was only meant to be a one-shot and I've got other stories I need to work on. Sorry! ^^'

I'm still glad you liked it! C:

No problem **Neymar Jr**! ^u^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Dissidia Duodecim. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Naruto gasped, eyes bugged wide as he saw who was approaching them. The menu had been long forgotten. "Leon?! Aerith?!"_

The latter smiled. "It's nice to see you again!"

"...Same here." The former reluctantly grunted.

The Uzumaki abruptly stood, knocking down his chair as he swiveled to face Itachi who bore a smug smile on his face. "This is what you meant by us seeing familiar faces?!"

"Precisely." That smug smirk had yet to fade.

Leon scoffed. "What, are you not thrilled to see us?"

"No! NO! That's not it!" Hands frantically waved in a placating manner. "I'm just surprised, that's all!"

Aerith giggled. "He's not being serious you know."

"Oh..." Well that guy sure fooled him. And most everyone else.

The confused look morphed into one of utter joy as the blond bounded forward, capturing the two in his arms in a vice grip. "I'M SO HAPPY YOU GUYS ARE HERE!"

"..." One was on the verge of shoving the embracer off.

Yet the other eagerly returned said embrace. The girl grinned. "Thanks Naruto!"

"So where are we anyways?!" And the look of confusion came back as the flaxen released his hold, bemusement evident as he scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. "This place doesn't look like Traverse Town and Sasuke told me it isn't...so where are we?"

Itachi stood as well, joining the three. "We are in a city called Fushichō, named after the Japanese version of the Phoenix who burns itself to death and rises again from its ashes from time to time in an endless cycle of ruin and creation."

"Wow..." But that bemusement was quick to return as blue eyes flicked back to the pair. "Are Yuffie, Sora, Riku, Axel, and Roxas here to?!"

The maiden shook her head. "Yuffie went to another place while everyone else is back at Traverse Town."

"By the way, while we're here, call me 'Squall', not 'Leon'." That request took the three by surprise.

Sasuke quirked a brow. "Why?"

"It's because that's his real name." The female struggled to stifle a laugh. "Everyone at Traverse Town calls him 'Leon' because that's the shortened version of his last name 'Leonhart' and they like that better than 'Squall'."

The discussed humphed. "I didn't want to waste my breath trying to correct that lot." He rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I've wasted more than enough in the past."

"Hey! It's all in good fun!" The light jabbing of the elbow did nothing to lighten the sullen's mood.

Once again, that brow quirked. "Are there any other differences in names we need to know?"

"My first name is the same, but my full name is Aerith Gainsborough." The addressed explained. "Yuffie's full name is Yuffie Kisaragi."

Squall snorted. "Don't bother asking for the others' last names; they don't have any." Eyes rolled once more. "Apparently, they don't do last names there. That's why we didn't bother to give our own there either at that time."

"What happens if there were two 'Soras' in Traverse Town and someone was looking for one of them but didn't know who's who?" Naruto couldn't help but ask. "And what happens if they lived on opposite sides of town?"

The questioned face-palmed. "Don't ask. None of us know either."

"Everything still works out in the end though!" The female piped.

Sasuke sneered. "That's still stupid."

"You're not the only one who thinks that." Birds of a feather really _do_ flock together! Who knew two sulkers would get along so well?

Aerith frowned. "Don't be so down you two! Besides, we have others who will be joining us for dinner!"

"Others?!" Surprise and excitement lit up the blond's face.

The girl giggled at that. "You haven't met them before. They're brand new faces—"

"Ugh. Why am I here again?"

"Alright! I'm starving!"

The five faced the entrance of the restaurant as two more walked into the establishment, watching as a man of light complexion and average height possessing spiked locks that make all others appear flat who had a lean and toned build and wore a high collar sleeveless indigo shirt, black pants and boots, and black cloth covering his left leg and arm with his chest covered by two straps which were held in place by a badge in the shape of a wolf called Fenrir along with a guy who had disheveled blond hair with spiky layers and wore a silver pendant bearing a logo of sorts that was also on the right leg of his trousers—one being longer than the other—above yellow and black shoes yet below a gauntlet on his left hand and a black glove on the other in addition to a yellow jacket with a white hood, a blue pauldron, and armor over his left arm came into the space.

The woman waved at them. "Over here!"

"..."

"Okay!"

Both—one far more eager than the other—headed towards the table, taking their seats. Aerith smiled at the three as she gestured to the newcomers in turn. "This is Cloud Strife—" The man simply harrumphed "—and this is Tidus!" Said guy beamed.

"I thought people from here have last names!" Naruto exclaimed, completely confounded.

Tidus sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Actually, I'm from Traverse Town. I've been visiting this place with my girlfriend Yuna for the past few weeks."

"No wonder we didn't see you there." Squall voiced. "Where is she anyways?"

Cloud spoke up this time around. "She's shopping with Tifa."

"I see." The elder of the two siblings nodded. "I am Itachi Uchiha and am glad to be able to make acquaintance with you all."

The younger grunted. "...Sasuke Uchiha."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki!" His beaming shone brighter than the sun.

Realization suddenly dawned on the Strife as he turned to gaze at the ravens. "Are you both by chance involved with Uchiha Incorporated?"

"They are." The Leonhart answered for them. "In fact, they're the heirs."

However, before either could say anything more, Aerith jumped back in. "Enough of this!" Turning away from the stunned pair, she beamed at the trio. "Tell us what you've been up to since we last saw you!" And they did just that, speaking of the adventures they had at Lumiose City and Iwatodai as well as the friends they made there. Most would not believe what they said...but the four did.

"..." Squall was speechless.

Cloud was no better. "..."

"Wow..." Amazement had taken hold of Aerith. But she wasn't the one who was most amazed.

"OH WOW!" Tidus screamed, stars sparkling in his eyes. "You guys really did all that?!" Those stars only grew brighter at the triple nods he received. "Whoa! To think you were doing all that while I was just playing Blitzball!"

Absolutely perplexed would be a _massive_ understatement to what had possessed Naruto. "What's Blitzball?!"

"You don't know what it is?!" A mouth dropped open.

The brunet male face-palmed. "They aren't from here you know."

"Oh." The guy was put down for a few seconds...before bouncing back up just as quickly. "Blitzball is a wildly popular sport over here that is played in a huge dome filled with water. There are two teams of six, two goals, and one blitzball. There are no rules, but everything is based on numbers." He beamed brightly. "The aim in Blitzball like in all major sports is to score more goals than the opposition. The time limit is 10 minutes with each half being 5 minutes long and any changes can only occur during the half-time."

The Uzumaki gaped. "Cool..."

"I can show you how to play some time!" His excitement was short-lived though. "...But there are only seven of us."

Cloud scoffed. "Seven? More like six."

"Or five." Squall added.

Sasuke joined them. "Or four."

"Aww..." But that excitement came back in an instant. "Maybe you can watch me compete at some point?"

Naruto was literally quivering. "Yeah! That sounds great!"

"Have you got your orders ready?" That voice alerted the septet to the waitress who had come over.

All but two knew what they wanted to eat. Guess which two?

"N-Not yet!"

"Sorry ma'am! I just came here!"

And they rapidly read through their shared menu.

* * *

The 16th of December

Upon finishing dinner—thank goodness the two had found what they wanted to eat—they chatted up a bit more, getting to know each other a bit more. Of course, a certain three were not so willing to speak, others talking for them instead. They parted only when the hour got too late. After Naruto had settled down in his hotel room, he checked his e-mails, doing what needed to be done; he had his cram session with Shikamaru, did all the homework Chōji had sent him, and told Kiba all that had happened all before going to bed. Upon waking up, the three met up for breakfast, discussing what they wanted to do for the day.

That led to them walking around the town, the blond leading them. During then, they had run into the people they had met earlier, deciding to explore together.

"Ah! This reminds me of the last time we went walking around together in Traverse Town!" Aerith beamed.

Squall spoke up. "...Except it's different what with us being in different places."

"Is this your hometown?" The Uzumaki had been wondering that ever since he saw those familiar faces the night before.

There was no avoiding the question this time around. "...Yes."

"You know this guy doesn't like to talk that much!" The female chirped. "That's why he didn't want to tell you about this place that time!"

The auburn male humphed. "Whatever—"

"SQUALL! AERITH! CLOUD! TIDUS! THERE'S BIG TROUBLE!" The addressed—as well as the other three—snapped their attention to a woman who had roughly waist-length brown hair that was tucked behind her ear on the left side and possessed a silver teardrop-shaped earring on that same side with rust-colored eyes as well as wearing pink lipstick in addition to being clothed in a black leather tank top with a zipper down the front overtop a slightly longer white tank top above a black leather skort with two black ribbons tied around either leg, the back quite long and reaching the floor completed by black leather gloves and black and white shoes with black ribbons tied around each and a female who had shoulder-length brown tresses adorned in a purple-pleated flower-patterned dress, black boots, a black spaghetti-string camisole under a white sash that wrapped around her neck and over her chest, and a yellow patterned obi with a chōchō musubi knot plus a decorative obidome to clinch the cords, two separate kimono-like sleeves complementing the outfit below a single blue-beaded earring on her right ear that was hidden by a lock of her hair which were woven into blue beads with gold rings around the larger middle bead that was above a silver pendant as they ran full-speed towards the group.

The last one called quirked a brow. "What's wrong Yuna?"

"What are you talking about Tifa?" The third followed immediately afterwards.

Upon catching her breath, the latter screamed out. "Chaos is at it again!"

"Who's Chaos?" The two then noticed the three guests.

The former gazed at them in turn. "You're Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Itachi Uchiha...right? Cloud told us about you three last night."

"Right." All three confirmed simultaneously.

She nodded. "I'm Yuna and this is Tifa Lockhart." The two bowed. "Yoroshiku."

"It's nice to meet you too." They returned the gesture. Itachi then glanced at both. "Please tell us who this Chaos is."

Squall was the one to speak up. "Chaos is an infamous thief who targets only the rarest, the most expensive, the most valuable objects. Even the most advanced security systems and the most well-trained security guards are unable to keep what he sets his sights on from not being stolen. He doesn't leave any evidence behind and the only reason we know he's even behind those crimes is because he flaunts what he does and steals something else under maximum security just to prove his point." A fist clenched. "No one can catch him. Even the best cameras in the world covering every inch of a space wouldn't be able to see him. Even the bloodhounds with the most sensitive noses wouldn't be able to smell him. Even the elephants with the largest ears wouldn't be able to hear him. Even the most modern motion detectors wouldn't be able to pick up even the slightest of his movements. Even the most highly-developed heat sensors wouldn't be able to pick up a trace of his heat signature. Believe me, all of the above have been tried before only to fail time and time again. He doesn't even leave the most remote of footprints." He gritted his teeth. "None of what I'm saying is made up or exaggerated in the slightest; I wish none of it is true." He shook as an uncharacteristic rage overtook him. "Is he even human? No, he isn't. He's a horrible, horrible monster."

"Oh wow..." To say the three were shocked would be a _massive_ understatement.

Aerith took an apprehensive step toward the arrivals. "...What is he targeting next?"

"What is it?" Sasuke echoed, equally as insistent.

Yuna gulped. "Chaos announced that he would be stealing The Crystals."

* * *

Translation: Fushichō=Phoenix, Yoroshiku=Nice to meet you

Okay, I have absolutely no idea what the setting of Dissidia Duodecim is called, so I decided to call the place based off of it in this story Fushichō because it means 'Phoenix' in Japanese. Chaos and Cosmos are the Gods of Discord and Harmony which are similar to ruin and creation respectively. A Phoenix represents both in that it causes ruin by burning itself to death yet also causes creation by resurrecting from its ashes. I hope this is okay! ^^'

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	30. Chapter 30

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—who also favorited and followed this preliminary to appraising Hetalia on Ice subsequently Skater Shadowing next favoriting it—posterior to **yukino76** for reviewing the previous chapter towards **Kadek-is-the-Best** for favoriting Hetalia on Ice along with Skater Shadowing prior to **Miyucchi sang Cappuccino** then **FlameingWings** for favoriting the latter while **Abisag Freiheit** followed it after commenting on Waltzing In plus **Motivation is Dying **for just doing the latter—later Skater Shadowing too—whereas **Electra-Pandora **did the former notwithstanding **ayakasa shiro**, **magi889** who did the two to Hetalia on Ice later on soon evaluating that story lastly **Azerath quarts pines **for favoriting inclusive to following Skater Shadowing yet **Rainbow Love02** paired to **1412kk** to performing all that on that fic in addition to Hetalia on Ice although **tenshikuroamaamantedelyaoi** &amp; **ShiroYuki1827** solely followed ultimately **Worldtalia** for exclusively favoriting including following Hetalia on Ice when **HoneyBlossom99** merely favorited Skater Shadowing finally **Waterheart Dragon** for assessing all three of those crossovers! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thank you **yukino76**! (:

I'm glad you liked it **Abisag Freiheit**! :D

No problem **Motivation is Dying**! ^_^

THANK YOU SO MUCH **Sefirosa**! XD

Thanks **Waterheart Dragon**! I really appreciate it! J:

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Dissidia Duodecim. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Yuna gulped. "Chaos announced that he would be stealing The Crystals."_

"...What are The Crystals?" It would be an absolute lie if Naruto was to say he knew anything about what they were discussing.

Unfortunately, the Uchihas had no clue neither. "We only conducted business the previous times we went here so we never got to learn the lore of this area." Itachi confessed.

"Hn." Sasuke had no comment. Which meant he was the same as his brother.

Squall took it upon himself to explain. "The Crystals are of extreme importance to Fushichō, each rumored to have ended wars that once took place in these lands in ancient times. The fact that there are thirteen crystals signifies that thirteen wars had started and ended here. However, The Crystals were lost and scattered about until Cosmos led a mass project to uncover them."

"Who's Cosmos?" And once again the Uzumaki was confused. Not that anyone could blame him.

Aerith spoke up this time around. "Cosmos is the mayor of this city and has been for as long as anyone can remember. She is loved by all because she is a kind leader who listens to all and lets nothing corrupt her."

"Cosmos planned on recovering The Crystals and having them housed in the Dissidia Museum." Yuna interjected. "In that way, everyone could enjoy them."

Teeth gritted as Tidus clenched his fist. "But that no-good thief Chaos wants to steal them all for himself!"

"But then why would he announce his intentions?" Sasuke quirked a brow. "Since he has a nefarious enough of a reputation, he could steal them without telling anyone and they would still know it was him."

Cloud crossed his arms. "Chaos wants everyone to be certain that he is the culprit, leaving no doubt." He humphed. "Believe me, he's _that_ arrogant—"

"—Hold on! I'm getting a call!" The man immediately silenced as the Lockhart swiftly whipped out her cell phone from her pocket, answering instantly as she placed the receiver to her ear. Her skin paled more and more with each passing second, her having broken out into a cold sweat upon hanging up.

Blue eyes filled with worry as the Strife rushed to her side. "What happened Tifa?!"

"Vaan just told me that a man with long silver hair had been spotted at each site." Nails dug into palms. "He was only seen after the footage caught by the surveillance cameras had been reviewed. His face was not visible yet a sword the length of his body could be seen glinting in the light—"

"—Masamune! That must have been Sephiroth's Masamune! Nobody else has or can wield that sword and there are no others like it!" An icy rage blazed on in azure hues. "Sephiroth must be working for Chaos!"

And the confusion only grew. "Who's Sephiroth?!"

"He's a legendary mercenary who would do _any_ job for the right price. _Any_." Sapphire fires burned intensely. "Murder, sabotage, blackmail...you name it, he's done it."

Tidus scowled. "The only reason he hasn't targeted Cosmos is because she doesn't have any dirt on her and her death would cause too much of an uproar. Everyone loves her that much."

"Except for Chaos and his possible minions." Squall sneered.

The clearing of the throat drew all eyes to the source of that sound. Once he had everyone's attention, Itachi addressed the raven lady. "Who is this Vaan you spoke of?"

She obliged him. "Vaan's a native to Traverse Town who moved here as a child and is now secretary and bodyguard to Cosmos. He is also our friend which is why we help him protect her the best we can."

"That's why Vaan called Tifa just earlier." Cloud grunted.

Sasuke interjected. "Why didn't he just kill everyone and steal The Crystals himself?"

"Chaos isn't a fan of leaving a mass of bodies in his wake. He thinks it's too dirty and takes too much effort." A frown marred Yuna's features. "He doesn't want to bother with burying the evidence nor incinerating it. Stealing is more than enough for him. Human trophies are not worth anything to Chaos; he even said so himself."

Eyes narrowed as the Leonhart glared. "He does kill or have people killed on occasion, and that's to keep his identity a secret by silencing those who would almost happen to see him forever."

"But then why would Sephiroth reveal himself on camera if Chaos wants to remain hidden?" The younger Uchiha pressed on.

The Strife was the one to answer. And in a not-so-calm manner. "It's Chaos's way of flaunting, that he's following through with what he said. No one might know how Chaos looks like, but Sephiroth is a different story." Fury possessed every fiber he possessed. "Nobody has managed to catch Sephiroth or even come close so him revealing himself would have no negative consequences on Chaos's plan."

"And how do we know Sephiroth isn't Chaos?" Naruto was quick to point out.

And that point was rapidly shot down. "We also thought of that." Squall scoffed. "However, there were many instances when Sephiroth was reported to be in a completely different location during the times Chaos had committed his crimes. Those reports are not false in any manner; there are no discrepancies. Believe me, we've been looking for them for the longest time."

"Okay, so even if Chaos doesn't want to kill anyone right now, why didn't he just get Sephiroth to just steal The Crystals on site?" The Uzumaki sure brought up a valid point.

Which was once again shot down. The Leonhart huffed. "There are only two of them and thirteen Crystals to target. They wouldn't be able to steal them all at once due to each Crystal being in a different location and if some were stolen, the others would be protected all the more. Even if both could steal The Crystals undetected, it would be too much of a hassle for them. Why go through so much trouble if you can get everything you want in a much simpler fashion, if Chaos could just steal all thirteen Crystals under the same roof instead of having to go to thirteen different places?"

"Even if Chaos had more henchmen, they would not have been able to pull off the theft that easily. I highly doubt many would possess the elusiveness both Chaos and Sephiroth have, especially Chaos's." Cloud crossed his arms. "Chaos doesn't have enough trust to take chances on rookies."

Yet Naruto had yet to give up on his queries. "If no one knows how Chaos looks like, how do people know it's him when he speaks?"

"He uses a voice modifier similar to those present in the Death Note universe to distort his voice beyond recognition." Tifa supplied. "That guy just has to cover up his tracks."

Yuna nodded. "And him stealing something under maximum security is more than enough to prove it was him, even if he leaves no evidence—barring the absence of the stolen object—behind." She shook her head. "That's just how he does things—"

"—Hold on! I'm receiving another call!" All fell silent once more as Tifa placed her cell phone to her ear once again. Her reaction was no better than the last one.

Upon hanging up, Cloud returned to her side once more. "What is it this time around?!"

"Vaan just told me that Onion Knight reported that all thirteen trucks have made it to Dissidia Museum and are being unloaded as we speak. Security has been concentrated on the area around each truck as well as each person involved in delivering The Crystals to their respective displays." A growl escaped the Lockhart's lips. "I bet Chaos is about to make his move very soon!"

Squall sighed. "And before anyone asks, Onion Knight is a young intern to Cosmos who fiercely protects her. Vaan sees him as a younger brother."

"Enough about this! The Crystals are in danger!" Cloud's roar startled most as all eyes glued onto his enraged frame. "We need to go to Dissidia Museum ASAP!"

Most. "Please allow us to go with you."

"Itachi?!" The Leonhart cried, genuinely surprised. "But why?! You three aren't involved in these matters!"

Naruto grinned. "We're friends so therefore we _must_ be involved!"

"...Hn." No objections from Sasuke.

An enigmatic smirk spread across the elder Uchiha's lips. "Besides, we have something that the security guards don't possess."

And the nine rushed to their destination in no time flat, Aerith leading the way.

* * *

"Who are they?!"

The group had arrived at the museum only minutes later due to running at top speed, immediately being ushered in by the guards who recognized the six as being friends of Vaan and Onion Knight while the three were accepted due to being friends of those friends.

The Crystals had been placed in their proper display cases with info on each in front of said cases, giving off a glow that was not of this world, or any for the matter. As though they instead belonged to ethereal beings.

From their location in the alcove nearest to the displays, the group watched for any and all activity going on nearby. Thank goodness the placement of said alcove rendered those hidden within nearly invisible from most angles.

And Naruto had to point out the sculptures which stood close by, a proud man possessing long hair who wore knight's armor along with a helmet bearing huge sharp horns and a grand cape, a young man who was in armor in addition to a flowing cape who had his locks tied in a ponytail with a bandana covering his crown and carried a wild rose as well as a sword, axe, bow, staff, dagger, and lance, a male having beads in his hair adorned in majestic armor followed by a flowing cape and held lance-like swords in his hands, a lad clad in a sleeveless shirt, pants, and pointed boots with a prominent spike on his left shoulder and a flowing cape running down his back, a delicate youthful woman who had long curly hair in a ponytail and was dressed in a sleeveless dress with floral patterns all around, two long elegant gloves, several different sashes around her waist, and a luxurious cape above patterned white tights and pointed high-heeled boots, a female wrapped in several belts and buckles and had a red cape on her left shoulder who held a large blade that held resemblance to a gun in some ways, a boy who had a vest over a sleeveless shirt and jabot with cargo pants and layered belts plus gloves with large cuffs and two-toned boots yet also had a distinctive monkey tail that may or may not have been real and was equipped with dual jagged daggers, and a short girl whose nose was unique in shape who was covered in a striped robe and had two gauntlets over her hands all carved from the whitest and purest of marble.

The Gainsborough smiled. "They are the heroes of some of the thirteen wars." She gestured to each in turn. "The Warrior of Light, with the help of the first Crystal, emerged victorious against his opponents in the first war. Firion led us to victory in the war after with the second Crystal. Cecil Harvey won the fourth war with the fourth Crystal. Bartz Klauser defeated all foes in the fifth war with the fifth Crystal. Terra Branford bravely led our army against our enemies in the sixth war with the help of the sixth Crystal. Claire 'Lightning' Farron won the eighth war after harnessing the power of the eighth Crystal. Zidane Tribal was the hero of the ninth war after being aided by the ninth Crystal. Shantotto, although she appears to be a frail child, utterly decimated the other side in the eleventh war by utilizing the eleventh Crystal to its fullest abilities while suffering no casualties on her side."

"Wow..." To say Naruto was awestruck would be a _complete_ understatement.

Aerith giggled at that. However, the joy was short-lived as lips morphed into a straight line, emerald orbs rapidly flicking onto Squall. "Have you seen anything suspicious along the display cases?"

"Īe." And those eyes hadn't moved from said display cases the entire time.

She then turned to everybody else. "Has anyone caught any movements?" Multiple shakes of the head greeted her.

"There's nothing to worry about!" Tidus exclaimed. "Don't museum robberies usually occur in the dead of night?"

Yuna gasped. "He's right!"

"Then it's still not time yet." Cloud sighed.

Tifa beamed. "All we have to do is wait!"

"Who knows how long we have to wait for?" Squall huffed. "We could end up falling asleep."

Sasuke shrugged. "That's what having shifts are for; some can rest while others are awake and we can switch places."

"My little brother is correct." Itachi smiled. "Let's continue."

* * *

The 17th of December

"Aww man!"

The nine had stayed up _well_ into the night, taking turns watching and sleeping. At least one set of eyes had been glued to the cases all night without any interruption, blinking lightning-quick. Guards came and went, aiding in the surveillance of the precious stones. However, no matter how many or how many kinds of eyes were staring at the displays, the same thing was seen by all...nothing. As in nothing changing aside from the dimming of light as evening approached and its return upon dawn. Thank goodness the museum was closed that day or else passerbys would be wondering why so many people were crowded in a small corner all looking at the same thing for hours on end...

A whine escaped from Naruto's lips. "So Chaos didn't show up after all?!"

"That's a good thing, dobe." Guess who said that?

The Uzumaki glared at the offender. "Shut up Sasuke!"

"Maybe he's choosing another time to strike?" Both turned to face Tidus as he shrugged.

Yuna hummed. "That's entirely possible too."

"Even though it would be easier with the cover of darkness?" Tifa quirked a brow.

Squall scoffed. "Remember he has committed theft in broad daylight before."

"How could we possibly forget?" Cloud humphed.

Aerith scratched her chin. "Then when will he—"

"There!" All froze as they swiveled to what piercing ebon orbs were glaring at. The slightest shift of the air could be seen, but barely. However, the superior sharpness of Uchiha eyes could pick up that subtle movement perfectly. _Especially_ a certain Uchiha's aka Itachi's. In a flash the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a familiar weapon. "I am grateful we were allowed to keep these."

The muzzle of the Evoker was aimed at a nigh invisible target in a flash, the trigger pulled without any hesitation. The shot appeared to be random to most and everyone else was confused as to why it was fired in the first place...only for a crimson trail to extend from thin air as the bullet passed by.

* * *

Translation: Īe=No

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	31. Chapter 31

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **RandomFandomsGirl** for favoriting Skater Shadowing as well as **twilight-princess240**, **OtakuAnimeLover21** then **ImNotAStalkerchan** for favoriting Kaitō Kokoro—**EmoOtaku4Ever** for Seebeck Effect—sans leaving out **pineappledannish** for favoriting Hetalia on Ice while **FallenAngel231312** favorited Hetalia on Ice, Skater Shadowing, and Waltzing In—**sunstar13** doing all that for all three in addition to evaluating each one whereas **Punpredictablehuff** just did the latter for the first versus **Hikari Kaiya** for enacting the former on the second too following—in contrast to **DemigodBooks** for following the latter not forgetting Skater Shadowing along with **Red-Hot Habanero **for commenting on, favoriting subsequently following it as **Animefangirl88** next **GrayHeart** performed the last two on Hetalia on Ice ultimately **Kitty Katrona** for favoriting anterior to following Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità—**YaoiBunny8702** for assessing its last chapter when **annamounce999** did those two for A Serendipitous Encounter &amp; **Helafina** for Bijuu and You yet **Gwntan12** for Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf—finally **RavenWhiteMoi** preliminary to **IchBinKunoichi** for favoriting Skater Shadowing! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

I'm glad **yukino76**! (:

I really appreciate it **Red-Hot Habanero**! :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH **sunstar13**! XD

Thanks **Punpredictablehuff**! ^_^

I'M SO FLATTERED **YaoiBunny8702**! *BIG BANG!*

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Dissidia Duodecim. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The muzzle of the Evoker was aimed at a nigh invisible target in a flash, the trigger pulled without any hesitation. The shot appeared to be random to most and everyone else was confused as to why it was fired in the first place...only for a crimson trail to extend from thin air as the bullet passed by._

"That's him!" All eyes widened as they fixed on that red line—

—which refused to halt its advance. "Don't you dare!" Sasuke fired his own shot without a trace of equivocation, the resulting bullet just barely grazing that mark. Yet that didn't stop its possessor from crying out in absolute agony as he buckled down, a thud resonating from where he crashed onto.

"THAT MUST BE CHAOS!" Don't leave Naruto out; an intense flash enveloped the space within seconds, the resulting impact knocking its target into a wall.

All ran towards the source of that sound, the three not letting their Evokers down with the rest not far behind. It seemed as though it was the end for the crook—"Descend...Heartless...Angel!"—only for a flurry of ebon feathers to swirl about in a raging tornado over the entire primacy, a violet light halting them in their tracks as it momentarily blinded them. Upon letting up, the group discovered the space had an absence of a certain pair. Not even the plumage remained, having vanished into thin air. It was as though neither were there in the first place. But everyone knew better. Much better.

"They got away." Blue eyes narrowed into slits as teeth gnashed, Cloud clenching his fist. It was a miracle no blood was drawn. "Of course Sephiroth just had to show up."

Confusion could be seen swimming in Naruto's eyes. "How do you know that it was him?"

"That's his catchphrase." Squall sighed as he crossed his arms. "He always says 'Descend...Heartless...Angel!' when he's about to complete a mission."

Tidus snarled. "As though he's announcing his own arrival!"

"A heartless angel indeed..." A head shook as sadness marred Aerith's brow.

Rust-colored hues widened as they landed on what was—or rather, what _wasn't_—there. "Crap! The Crystals are gone!"

"Chaos must've managed to grab a hold of The Crystals while Sephiroth distracted us!" Yuna gasped.

Sasuke tched. "They don't call him a legendary mercenary for no reason."

"So all of our efforts amounted to nothing?!" Tears welled up in Tifa's eyes. "Was there any point to this at all—"

A raised hand halted her. "Our efforts have not gone in vain."

"What do you mean by that?!" To say the Uzumaki was completely confounded would be a _massive_ understatement.

A smirk crossed the addressed's lips as he held up his weapon. "Let's just say that after we unpacked here, I may or may not have tweaked my Evoker to allow me to track whatever its bullets hit indefinitely with the target unable to disrupt the signal." A mock shrug was given. "I may or may not have grazed Sephiroth amidst the confusion he caused as well without him noticing."

"That means he did." Face met palm. "That's nii-san for you."

Seven mouths dropped into the deepest of abysses. "How did you do that?!"

"I highly doubt he would tell anyone dobe." Face met palm again. And again. And again. And again.

Tidus's eyes glued onto the pistols. "Where did you get those guns and what are they?!"

"These guns are known as Evokers and their bullets Personas...since the bullets take on the personalities of those who fire them." Itachi explained, echoing the words he once heard. "These guns are special. They were developed by S.E.E.S—Special Extracurricular Execution Squad—and given to each student attending Gekkoukan High School in Tatsumi Port Island as well as those who commuted from Iwatodai. We were told each Evoker can sense the personality of its wielder and accommodates its abilities to fit its wielder with themes based off of tarot cards."

Cloud gaped. "So these are the Evokers you told us about—"

"—and used to fight off those Shadows in the Dark Hour?!" Squall cut in, equally—or even more—shocked.

Sasuke grunted. "Hn. Mine seems to deal the most damage due to me being Justice."

"I'm the Sun which means my shots can blind the enemy while the bullet strikes as said enemy is staggered." Naruto nodded.

Itachi followed. "Since my tarot is Judgement, my shots have the most accuracy; they are pin-point precise, which explains why I was able to hit Chaos despite him being nearly undetectable."

"But how has he remained under the radar for so long?!" The Lockhart was no less perplexed. Who could blame her? Or anyone for the matter?

The elder Uchiha scratched his chin. "I believe he shrouds himself in a substance that renders him invisible and completely masks the sounds he makes, any footprints and fingerprints he might leave behind, his heat signature, his scent, his movements, and so on. That explains why a red trail followed from where I shot."

"That wasn't his blood?!" The Gainsborough gasped.

A head shook. "The line did not grow nor did it flow." The Leonhart explained. "Besides, none of it ended up on the floor—"

"—What are we waiting for?!" All heads swiveled toward the Strife as he growled, digging his nails into his palms. "We need to go after Chaos and Sephiroth!" Sapphire fires solely increased in intensity after the second name was uttered.

A subsequent smirk made its way onto Itachi's lips as he lifted a hatch—one he must have created—from the side of his Evoker, the smug smile only widening upon seeing the two dots flashing across the screen. "I thought you would never ask."

* * *

"My, my...the infamous Chaos was nearly caught during one of his outings?"

"Oh shut up."

"That's not a nice thing to say to the one who saved you."

"I could have gotten away on my own you know."

"I highly doubt that. Be grateful you pay me high enough for me to even bother."

"You should be. Your salary is far from cheap."

"My services are worthwhile, aren't they—"

"—Services?! You mean your criminal actions?!"

"WHAT?!"

"...Humph."

Let's just say a certain pair was _not_ expecting company in the form of nine people who had managed to follow them back to their lair. A man bearing grey locks hanging over emerald orbs all above a black armored outfit who carried a sword of massive proportions tucked at his side and a muscular dark being who had the appearance of a red four-armed fiend with wings sprouting from his back and demonic faces on his knees who possessed a long tail and several horns—the most prominent of which were two red horns that curve into the air—and wore a loincloth with another face on it as well as a red amulet around his neck watched as said nine approached them, a certain super spiky-haired blond in the lead, mouth twisted into the scariest of scowls.

Blue eyes narrowed upon landing on the latter. "So that's how Chaos looks like, huh?"

"How ugly." Tifa grimaced.

The offended harrumphed. "Excuse me? You dare address the great me like that?" Orbs flashed. "And how ever did you find out my identity and where I went?"

"No beating around the bush. At least we won't have to deal with that." Squall shrugged.

Itachi smirked. "That is for us to know and you to find out."

"Why have you been doing what you're doing?!" Tidus roared, an uncharacteristic bellow escaping from his lips. "Why have you been gloating and stealing from so many and so many places for so long?!"

It was Chaos's turn to smirk. "That is for us to know and you to find out." What an ironic echo.

"And you..." The cerulean glare flickered over to the silverette. "Why have you decided to team up with Chaos, Sephiroth?! Is it for the money?!"

Hair was flicked up. "Of course. Why else?"

"It would be cruel of me to not pay my greatest henchman well." Fangs flashed in a not-so-friendly manner.

Squall scoffed. "Says the one who complained about having to pay 'a far from cheap' salary just moments ago."

"The details don't matter." Teeth were bared. "Especially for the likes of you." Fingers snapped. "Sephiroth, take out the trash."

In an instant the blade glinted in the dim lighting as the wielder drew his sword. "Very well. There will be no mess left behind."

"LIKE I'LL LET YOU!" Aided by a pin-point precise shot strengthened by an immensely powerful bullet and a blinding flash which contributed to the assisting impact, Cloud kicked the Masamune from its owner's grasp, the Strife wrapping his hands around the other's neck only for the opponent's to wrap around his own, both pairs desiring to strangle the life out of the other. Wild snarls escaped from their mouths as the two growled at each other, resembling the most rabid of animals as each attempted to assert dominance over the other. "I USED TO LOOK UP TO YOU! YOU WERE MY HERO!" Releasing one hand, Cloud morphed it into a fist, punching the slate in the throat, knocking him a considerable distance into the ground, a dirt path marking how far the socked had skidded back. Not wasting even a second, the assailant pounced, akin to a bloodthirsty hound rushing to tear its prey apart...

...only to be resisted. "You were a fool and still are!" As the fulvous drew near, the mercenary swept a leg out, tripping the target before throwing him as he fell, kicking him while he was down. It didn't end there; keeping an eye out, the silverette was able to evade the flashing fingers which had tried to grab his ankle, leaping a safe distance away. "It's not like I actively tried to trick you you know."

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GOOD MAN TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER ONLY FOR ME TO FIND OUT THAT YOU'RE JUST A KILLER FOR HIRE! AN ASSASSIN! A PERSON WHO RUINS OTHERS FOR MONEY!" The enraged charged once more.

The accused simply side-stepped. "Like I said, I never actively tried to trick you. Your fault, not mine."

"YOU PSYCHO!" The opponents ran up to each other, colliding with a clash of limbs before going into full-out combat. Fists were flying, loud thuds clearly audible as the pair proceeded to beat each other up. Red, purple, red, purple...those same two colors began to bloom on two shades of skin, bruises blossoming on all sorts of places high and low.

Naruto gaped at the scene unfolding before him. "What's all this about?!"

"People used to hail Sephiroth as a hero because he stopped all sorts of criminals no matter how many minions they had, how smart they were, what weapons they carried, or where they hid. Cloud practically worshiped him." A fist clenched as Tifa narrowed her eyes. "But then Sephiroth went into the mercenary business and basically became one of the criminals he used to fight against. That shattered the pedestal Cloud had placed him on and now he hates this man with everything he has."

Horror overtook the boy with each and every word uttered. "...No way."

"LIKE I'LL LET YOU WIN!" Dragging the silverette up by his collar, the blond slugged him in the face.

Not everything went according to plan, however. "Idiot." Spitting in Cloud's face, Sephiroth fought back, denying the flaxen dominance as he met each kick for a kick, knee for a knee, punch for a punch. Finally able to get himself free, the Strife bounded back, narrowly avoiding the right hook swung his way. Not a second to spare, the foes charged once again, the air around them simmering with their intent to defeat the other.

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT, NOT ME!" Absolute fury possessed the fulvous as infernal fires burned in sapphire depths, seething as the adversaries locked arms, wrestling each other. "YOU ARE A MONSTER!"

A calculated glint shone in the opposing orbs as their owner pushed back, shoving the other into the soil. "Evil is subjective. In my eyes, you are the evil one."

"I'M EVIL?! THEN WHAT ARE YOU?!" The temperature plunged and soared hundreds of degrees simultaneously as the incensed lunged, the atmosphere far more inhospitable than the most blazing and subzero of deserts.

Gazes remained locked as the battle drew on. Eyes made subtle movements, attempting to predict their opponent's maneuvers. Hair-yank. Punch. Kick. Whale. Slam. Uppercut. Smash. Stomp. Bash. Sock. My god do they loathe each other.

Almost no one managed to spot a shifting movement amidst the chaos—"Look out!"—yet Itachi did, firing at the source...which turned out to be a silver serpent bearing a golden underbelly and a flowing crimson mane.

"Oh yeah, and one bite from Shinryu here and it's good night and don't look back." A grin befitting the devil crossed Chaos's lips. "He's the most venomous Western Taipan there is and is bulletproof!"

Sasuke scowled. "Just our luck; we're facing one of the most poisonous snakes in the world who can't be killed by our Evokers to boot."

"That doesn't mean we don't have a chance!" Naruto screamed, firing at the viper. Although the metal couldn't pierce his skin, the blinding brilliance stunned the creature as the resulting impact knocked him back a considerable distance.

And let's just say said snake was not pleased. At. All. "HAAHHHHHHH!" Fangs flashed as he aimlessly lunged forward. Thank goodness he could not currently see; the repeated strikes were much easier to avoid. Plus with Itachi's pin-point precision and Sasuke's agonizing shots, the squamata was held in check. Or was he?

"OH CRAP!" Too bad Shinryu was able to quickly tunnel into the earth to avoid any more oncoming ammo. Shoot.

This isn't good...or maybe not. "Here snakey! Snakey! Snakey!" Everyone—sans the brawling pair—stared at Tidus and Yuna as though they were insane...as they danced in place, feet stomping about. The latter quickly turned to the rest. "Quickly! Someone come near us!"

"...Okay." Aerith was the one to comply, standing close to the pair—

—just as the reptile emerged from the ground. "QUICKLY! STEP ON HIS BODY!"

"Right!" And step she did. On the back of his neck.

Realization dawned on the Leonhart. "Snakes are acutely attuned to vibrations!" He gaped at the couple. "No wonder you two were acting like morons!"

"More like geniuses!" Tidus humphed.

However, their conversation was cut short as a wild hissing split the air, the serpent wildly thrashing about. "Oh no you don't!" Squall leapt forward, slamming a foot onto the opposite end of the Western Taipan, pinning him to the ground, preventing him from being able to wrap around one of their legs.

Rust-colored hues flicked back to the pair as their fight raged on. It was a wonder how either could go on with all the bruises they inflicted on each other. Both sides seemed to be equal...or not for long judging by how they managed to land near a certain blade which belonged to one of them—"NO!"—only for the Lockhart to kick it away, joining in on the fray. Now it's two against one. And wow was the raven lady incredible with her fists and wow how masterful she was in martial arts in general. Definitely not some damsel in distress.

Sephiroth and Shinryu were kept at bay...but where did that leave Chaos? Hey, where is he?! "Where do you think you're going?" Too bad a certain sniper aka Itachi was able to blow the fiend's cover once more with his pin-point precise shots. And too bad Sasuke's bullets inflected agonizing pain which rendered him immobile while Naruto's blinding brilliance stunned him.

"Even if you can completely mask yourself, you won't be able to escape." The younger Uchiha sneered.

The Uzumaki laughed. "You're trapped!"

"Or am I?" A sinister smirk that could put every demon in existence to shame spread across Chaos's face as he reached into a pocket, pulling out a Crystal. A sudden change overtook his form...

* * *

Translation: nii-san=older brother

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	32. Chapter 32

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Ivyflight**—who later favorited Hetalia on Ice subsequently Skater Shadowing while **Anime4life5** complimented me in, favorited, and followed the former—next **BigShazam** for favoriting Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità in addition to **ImNotAStalkerchan** for commenting on the first two chapters of that story as well as Kaitō Kokoro not forgetting **Guest** who is also **ShippingAndBeyond** for evaluating Hetalia on Ice twice—**RandomBushGirl** once—with **Huggiebird** favoriting it anterior to Waltzing In—**Arces** solely for the latter yet **Murphdog98** performed the same on the mentioned closest to the recent dash &amp; Skater Shadowing—then **multilord** for following Shinobi no Pokémon before **Yuka Ayna The Being of Balance** for enacting that except favoriting too sans leaving out **Winter Anime Fan** for favoriting Skater Shadowing! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

THANK YOU SO MUCH **ImNotAStalkerchan**! XD

I had a feeling **Guest** and **ShippingAndBeyond**! I even put 'unnatural skating abilities' as a tag in AO3! ^^'

I'm glad you enjoyed it anyways! ^_^

I'M SO FLATTERED **RandomBushGirl**! *BIG BANG!*

I really appreciate it **Anime4life5**! J:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! TO CELEBRATE, I DECIDED TO UPDATE TODAY! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Dissidia Duodecim. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Or am I?" A sinister smirk that could put every demon in existence to shame spread across Chaos's face as he reached into a pocket, pulling out a Crystal. A sudden change overtook his form..._

To say what came about was both shocking and hideous to say the least. His body grew larger. His facial features were exaggerated. Distinct teeth were redder than blood. Forearms and legs became the color of sulfur. Most of his left horn had broken off. Frayed fiendish wings sprouted from his back as two rows of spikes ran down his tail. Even Satan would win a beauty contest compared to him.

And let's just say some of them were more than a little close to barfing upon gazing at the grotesque being. "I'm going to be sick!" It looked as though bile had already risen up Naruto's throat.

"Same here!" And so had Tidus's.

And others were closer to fainting. "NANITE KOTODA!" Oh my god indeed.

"YUNA!" She barely managed to fall into her boyfriend's arms.

Some...were not so lucky. "AERITH!" The foot she pinned Shinryu beneath slipped off as its owner fell backwards, Squall having to rush to prevent her from crashing onto the ground. Which left the snake free—

"Watch out!"—or not. Thank goodness a perfectly precise bullet managed to halt the reptile in his tracks.

And an agonizing shot diverted the creature's rage toward the brothers instead. "Where do you think you're going?" Yep. It was diverted alright. Wow. The stoic nature of the two must have prevented them from freaking out from both the repulsive demon and the serpent now striking at them. A Western Taipan to boot. Yep. It must be their Uchiha genes.

"So he did it, huh?" The siblings were not the only ones unaffected—as in no gagging or swooning—though. The abrupt transformation had been enough to stop the three's fighting momentarily, Sephiroth amused as Cloud and Tifa were repulsed. To think the abhorrent being was disgusting enough for the blond to temporarily ignore his massive grudge against the silverette.

Temporarily of course. "What did Chaos do?" The Strife glared. He will take that grudge of his to the grave. Believe it.

"Why he used the power of the thirteenth Crystal to evolve." The slate smirked.

The discussed cackled as he spread his arms out. "I am now Feral Chaos!"

"Ew. That's an even worse name." The raven lady scowled.

How well did the insulted take that? "Die." Judging by how he took out the fourth and ninth Crystals and tossed them toward Shinryu and Sephiroth...not so well. Uh oh, there is going to be _a lot_ of trouble—

"Like we'll let you!"

"You're going down!"

—or not as two figures appeared from seemingly nowhere, snatching those Crystals midair. The Lockhart crossed her arms. "About time you showed up Onion Knight, Vaan!"

"It took time to mobilize all the police forces in Fushichō and give them directions to this place you know." A young blond boy who possessed emerald orbs and a short frame covered in crimson armor sporting a flowing beige cape over a golden cloth draped over the back of his hips below gigantic plumes sprouting from the helmet retorted.

A teen bearing a slim but slightly muscular build as well as blue eyes and short blond hair with a distinct fringe who had dirt fading his skin a little and was dressed in a small open shirt which exposed his chest in addition to having a rather large pendant around his neck plus a red and yellow sash around his waist with jewel-encrusted metal plates attached, armored gauntlets and greaves, and black pants sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "And we had to escort Cosmos here!"

"Cosmos?!" All eyes were drawn to the newfound hole in the wall as an ethereally beautiful woman adorned in a snow-white dress that flowed from her lithe and voluptuous frame who had golden tresses which cascaded past her shoulders with a golden design spanning from her bosom to her waist complementing the strands walked in, aura majestic and commanding.

Piercing yet kind eyes that can stare straight into another's soul landed on the fiend. "Feral Chaos, for the longest time you have wreaked havoc on this city, stealing whatever you fancied. Now that you have been discovered, it is time for you to stop."

"Who cares about what you say?" Hubristic laughter escaped fanged maws. "With the power of The Crystals, I can oppress all of Fushichō and keep it under my command even without you existing!" Claws flashed forward, flying towards the lady's neck—

—only for dual blades to hold them back. Vaan snarled. "You won't be laying your filthy hands on Cosmos any time soon!"

"You two are no threat to me feckless youths!" The second clawed hand flashed forward—

—only for yet another blade to block them. "I will not allow you to go forward with your diabolical plans."

"Silence little boy!" The demon roared.

A tick mark appeared on said boy's temples in no time flat. The berserk button had been pushed. Uh oh. "I am _NOT_ a little boy!" One swift kick sent the giant behemoth flying onto the ground. Wow. Don't judge a book by its cover indeed.

"Why you..." Fangs glinted ominously in the dim lighting as the monster snarled, picking himself up. "You dare mess with the one who possesses the power of all thirteen Crystals—"

"—More like one." A bag was held in Onion Knight's clutches. Having harnessed the power of The Crystal he had, the lad rushed forward in the blink of an eye, having given the nine the contents in said bag. Not even Sephiroth's rapid swings of the Masamune he recovered or the lightning-quick strikes of the snake could stop him. Which meant nine of The Crystals had been successfully delivered. With the other three in the possession of the arrivals. Oh yeah, and the twelve had already infused themselves with the strength of The Crystals they were lended. Watch out villains, here they come.

Onion Knight and Vaan rushed towards Sephiroth, clashing their weapons against the impossibly-long longsword. Metal on metal. Rapid movements that could be barely caught by the naked eye. Fancy footwork which could not hope to be imitated by a novice. The three were fighting, the battle two-on-one. The blonds swiftly moved to the side, evading a downward swipe before throwing themselves forward, repeatedly jabbing at their opponent who quickly sidestepped each attempt before leaping ahead, delivering a crescent slash downward that was immediately blocked by the opposing swords, pushed back. The opposing teams were neck and neck, neither able to gain an advantage at all; every time there seemed to be an opening in the other, it was quickly shut off in skillful defense followed by instantaneous retaliation which was in turn blocked and so on and so on. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. And this was with Onion Knight and Vaan powered up by The Crystals. And Sephiroth not. And them teaming up on him.

"HAHHHH!" Having to dodge a lashing whip sucks. Having to dodge a lashing whip that can bite you sucks more. Having to dodge a lashing whip that can bite you and inject some of the most lethal poisons in the world into you and kill you instantly sucks even more. Guess what Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, Aerith, and Squall had to deal with? The last of the three of course. And man was Shinryu making things hard for them; he just wouldn't make the same mistake twice, not letting his guard down for even one second.

Oh. And Shinryu had managed to flog the flaxen across the face. Thank goodness he hadn't been able to sink his fangs in. But still. "THAT HURT!" The Uzumaki yowled. "THAT'S IT!" The blond unloaded magazine upon magazine onto the snake in an act of revenge. How no one became blind at the end of all that is a mystery that could never be solved.

"You're through." You wouldn't believe what went on next if you hadn't seen it for yourself; Itachi fired in all directions, some of the bullets seeming to miss their mark...or not as the shooter shot bullets at those bullets with inhuman speed and precision, causing them to ricochet, all bullets battering the target at vital spots, bypassing all defenses the creature had had. How protective the man was! Although the serpent's scales had been unable to be pierced, the impact—in addition to Naruto's and Sasuke's—had stunned it. Being struck at your vital points hurts _a lot_ even if they aren't stabbed through you know.

That allowed the Leonhart to blast the reptile in searing flames that burned hotter than the sun as the Gainsborough enhanced his strength with her own newfound powers, incinerating Shinryu on the spot. The fearsome Western Taipan was now nothing more than a pile of ashes.

"Descend...Heartless...Angel!" The sudden whirlwind of ebon feathers knocked Onion Knight and Vaan off-balance, blowing them through the air. Even with their augmented capabilities, they were unable to break free from the raging tornado. A sadistic smirk was the only warning they got before Sephiroth pounced, Masamune drawn out as he ascended higher and higher—

—only for a particularly powerful tackle to send him barreling into the ground. It was as though Cloud had been moving at sonic speeds. The gale dispersed on the spot, dropping its two victims harshly onto the earth below. But they didn't have time to falter. "Go back to protecting Cosmos!" The woman had trapped Feral Chaos in a seemingly unbreakable barrier with Yuna and Aerith—who had joined them—assisting her in its creation and maintenance while Tidus was at the ready with Naruto, Sasuke, Itachi, and Squall coming to their aid upon making sure those ashes were really just ashes and would not reform. Unfortunately, the seemingly unbreakable barrier was beginning to break...

"Right."

"Okay!"

"You're not fighting him alone!" Yet as the guys left, Tifa joined Cloud once again, assuming a battle stance. "We're in this together!"

A rare smile graced the Strife's lips. "I know." The pair proceeded to lunge at the silverette, the two unleashing all of the fury they had bottled up ever since they had the misfortune of meeting such a horrible person...meaning they were attempting to beat the ever-loving crap out of him. Not a pretty sight. Too bad Sephiroth wasn't making this easy, especially with his impossibly-long longsword back in hand. Of course.

"RRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" And that seemingly unbreakable barrier just broke, shards scattering all over the place. Just great. Thank goodness the ten were at the ready.

Cosmos casted another barrier in the blink of an eye as Aerith and Yuna backed her up once more, the berserk charge halted as Feral Chaos smashed straight into it. Too bad it shattered an instant later. Guess it could only withstand one blow before being battered to bits. They needed to be careful here.

"I have an idea." No one even attempted to ignore Itachi as he spoke, not wanting to waste what little time the missiles his bullets had become bought for them. "Although The Crystal Chaos had used to become Feral Chaos changed his form in addition to enhancing his power, it appears his reason has eroded. He hasn't even tried to become untraceable once since he transformed."

Onion Knight was quick to catch on. "So we should follow a strategy that capitalizes on this flaw."

"Exactly." With one quick collective nod, they dispersed. It seemed as though everyone had the same idea in mind. Which was evidenced by the fact Onion Knight and Vaan pounced the beast after Naruto had paralyzed him with his boosted blinding brilliance, allowing Cosmos—aided by Yuna and Aerith—to ensnare the fiend in a field that allowed the aforementioned two in and prevented the demon from getting out. The two sword wielders were able to land a myriad of lightning-fast slashes, the now never-ever-missing bullets from a certain perfectly precise sniper and the blasts from that certain sniper's brother which made the eternally burning fires of hell appear tame only increasing the agony indefinitely.

However, their advantage was short-lived. "GET AWAY!" Nobody disregarded Vaan as they evaded an oncoming swing, jumping out of the way of a subsequent jab. The hits were becoming harder and harder to avoid. And razor-sharp fangs had been added into the mix. Looks like Feral Chaos can't be paralyzed for long. Even pain won't stop him. Not fun.

Cloud and Tifa were having just about as much fun as them, struggling against Sephiroth despite The Crystals enhancing their strength. _Yes_, they were hitting him. _Yes_, they weren't holding back one bit. _Yes_, they intended to beat him to a bloody pulp. But no matter how many times they struck him, the man just wouldn't stay down. It's as though he isn't even human...

"Descend...Heartless...Angel!" However, what appeared was not expected. Ebon feathers did not whirl about in a vicious whirlwind.

Instead, a violet halo surrounded the Lockhart, closing in within several seconds. "Nani?!" She felt her energy and most of her life drain away in an instant.

"TIFA!" Too bad Feral Chaos blocked the way before Vaan could reach her. And everyone else as well. Even their amplified speed was not enough to get past the demon. Him rushing at them with flames erupting from his frame in addition to a blaze exploding from the earth beneath his feet did not help matters. At. All.

Which let Sephiroth close in on his prey unhindered, Masamune closer and closer to piercing the female's flesh—"DIE YOU ROTTEN PIECE OF FILTH!"—not if Cloud has anything to say about it. With sheer force alone the Strife kicked the blade from the nemesis's grasp, a roundhouse kick harshly knocking him into the ground. The silverette attempted to fight back all for naught; the vindictive went on as if there was absolutely nothing in his way, a nearly invisible procession of punches pounding a crater into the ground with Sephiroth at the dead-center. The conflict had basically devolved into a fistfight. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!" A one-sided fistfight that is. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH HURTING TIFA!" Don't leave the guy out of the picture _yet_ though.

"Descend...Heartless...Ange—" He never finished his sentence as he was socked at sonic speed over and over and over and over again. It was a miracle the man didn't receive a concussion. Or have his skull split open. He was only rendered unconscious, finally down for the count. Even the legendary Sephiroth was no match for the absolute fury from hurting a loved one. He's out of commission.

And Cloud immediately rushed to said loved one's side, rage extinguishing as worry replaced it on the spot. "Are you alrigh—"

"She is now." Ethereal flowers bloomed overhead, her vitality restored as golden pollen dusted onto her.

Leaping back onto her feet, Tifa gave a respectful bow to her saviors. "Thank you Cosmos, Yuna, Aerith."

"Yes. Thank you." Cloud joined her in bowing.

A bestial howl brought them back to reality. "All we have left is Feral Chaos." Determination blazed on as Cosmos directed her gaze at the fiend. "We cannot let him win. There is no telling what he would do if he was let free in his state."

"Right."

"Definitely!"

No objections from the bodyguards. Or from anyone else for the matter. Now it was time to fight, time to implement the strategy all seemed to instinctually know even without speaking of it out loud. It was now twelve against one.

Feral Chaos went on yet another rampage, leaping into the air before twirling towards them. However, a super swift and super strong punch from Tidus destroyed his momentum, allowing Onion Knight and Vaan to rush at him with their swords. However, a flurry of punches and kicks made landing a single strike immensely difficult. Thank goodness they were able to avoid the slamming tail. The subsequent walls of flame could only be blocked by a certain three though. Of course he wouldn't make things easy. Oh look. Now he bounded back up, spinning whilst diving down. How nice.

"SCATTER!" Nobody objected to Naruto. They were seconds away from becoming pancakes you know as the demon slammed into the ground they were on only moments later. The behemoth did not miss a beat, practically warping and succeeding in uppercutting Squall, knocking him higher and higher into the air before smacking him down. However, the ethereal flowers bloomed once more courtesy of the three maidens, healing him of his injuries. In fact, it was as though the Leonhart had not been injured in the first place as he tackled the creature, incinerating the foe at point black again and again and again and again.

Yet he had to jump out of the way as a circle of conflagration formed around the fiend. Thank goodness Cosmos was able to contain the hellfire with the help of Yuna and Aerith inside a sphere. "RRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" And let's just say Feral Chaos wasn't too happy about that. The waves of combustion he sent toward his prey with each and every stomp and fling of the tail was more than enough evidence. However, the sandstorm Onion Knight released put out the flames in an instant, allowing Naruto to blind and punish him as Vaan unleashed a light-speed combo, roars of anguish following each and every blow. The absolutely agonizing bursts from Sasuke's bullets and the unceasingly pursuing bullets that homed in on every weak point were only icing on the cake. With Cloud punching and Tifa kicking every vital point with an unforgiving brute force being the cherry on top. Oh yeah, and did I mention the missile bullets? They simply _did not_ leave the lucifer alone even as he took to the air, barraging him endlessly. That has _got_ to hurt especially since they targeted every single weak spot and could not be swatted away. However, that did not stop him from hovering in the air whilst raining down a torrent of fire. What _did_ stop him was a certain raven woman leaping onto his back and whaling on him. Ouch.

"RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" The monster's rage reached the tipping point. He no longer even remotely resembled the calm and collected thief he had once been. Explosion after explosion after explosion followed in his wake as he swooped down, the Lockhart barely managing to disengage from the berserk being.

Crap. The building won't hold at this rate. It's now or never. "We must combine our powers if we hope to stop Feral Chaos." Everyone's attention was drawn towards Cosmos as she spoke. "There is no other way."

"Alright." Onion Knight gave his approval.

Vaan pumped a fist. "Let's do this!"

"It's worth a shot!" Tidus grinned.

Yuna giggled. "Okay!"

"I shall do what you say." Aerith nodded.

Squall shrugged. "I'm in."

"So am I!" Tifa chirped.

Cloud huffed. "We have no other choice."

"Count me in!" Naruto was far more than eager.

Sasuke sighed. "...Fine."

"We should link hands so our powers can channel through each of us and combine." Everyone followed Itachi's instruction, forming a circle. Energy flowed from each and every individual, gathering within a single point inside the shape.

Not that that deterred the demon. "YOU'RE MIN—" Feral Chaos never finished his sentence as brilliant rays beamed from that single point, shooting outwards. The fiend's frame was engulfed in an instant, swallowed whole.

* * *

Translation: Nanite kotoda=Oh my god, Nani=What

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	33. Chapter 33

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **FairyTailFanPan18** for following Hetalia on Ice, Skater Shadowing, and Waltzing In—**Hikari no Seishin** for doing that to all three yet favoriting them too along with Kaitō Kokoro while **patamon642** only did so for the second of those three—as well as **zaylo267** for favoriting Hakkōna in addition to **AsunaFlame** for favoriting then following Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità next **pennilee** for critiquing Seebeck Effect not forgetting **Aylasia** prior to **japanloveroffood** for favoriting Skater Shadowing sans leaving out **Hellman76** for favoriting before following The Merging of Realms anterior to **WolfessLizi** for favoriting Kaitō Kokoro! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

Thank you for reading **pennilee**! ^_^

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Dissidia Duodecim. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Not that that deterred the demon. "YOU'RE MIN—" Feral Chaos never finished his sentence as brilliant rays beamed from that single point, shooting outwards. The fiend's frame was engulfed in an instant, swallowed whole._

A blinding brilliance overtook the entire space in a matter of seconds. It was a miracle of miracles no one had become blind as intense white washed over the space, nothing else visible within the almost unbearable radiance.

"GGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" It was as though the beast was being burned alive, much of his flesh melting away as the light consumed every inch of his body, razing every inch of his being. Even the most infernal and blazing of conflagrations couldn't compare. Not even close.

Cosmos bore a solemn expression. "It is over." At that moment, the beams faded, the demon no longer as demonic as before as the last rays had dimmed. Feral Chaos was now just Chaos.

"Grrr..." The vanquished growled, flinching as he struggled to pick himself up. "'It is over', huh?" A cruel smirk etched onto his features. "You fool. As with my namesake, I can and will never be defeated." He once again took hold of The Crystal he had stolen. A clawed hand only tightened its grip. "I will come back even stronge—WHAT THE?!"

A large silver unicorn bearing a mass of white hair over its neck, the hump on its back, and its legs—the front pair having golden bracers around them as well—abruptly appeared, tackling the fiend to the floor, almost daring him to move with a gigantic jagged horn in the shape of a large hook pointed to his neck as a huge auburn wyvern that seemed to carry a white mask over its face and had a crimson mane around its neck and a cluster of scales of the same color covering its waist in addition to holding a pair of golden rings linked together in one of its six red-tipped hook-like appendages, the edges of its wings, its legs, and its tail a dull grey snatched The Crystal, flying over to the twelve before dropping it in Cosmos's hands.

"Thank you Ixion, Valefor." The two summons grunted in acknowledgement to their caller.

Tidus grinned. "You're amazing Yuna!"

"Thanks!" The girl couldn't help but beam at her boyfriend.

There was one who wasn't amused though. "GET OFF OF ME YOU WRETCHED HORSE!" Chaos's anger did not abate even as the sharp point dug a bit deeper, nearly breaking skin.

"Don't you dare insult the Aeons!" As if to make a point, a burly brown behemoth bearing the face of a lion and the horns—two ragged sets of them—of a ram, a blue woman barely wearing any clothing who bore a myriad of bright blue dreadlocks, and a humongous fierce onyx dragon possessing large scarlet feathered wings as well as a grand golden ring hovering over its downs manifested before Yuna. "Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut...attack!" The three lunged at the enemy upon hearing that one command, them and the wyvern joining the unicorn in pinning him down. Let's just say a prominent gust of wind from Valefor which brought about potent waves of sonic stunned Chaos, preventing him from even trying to become untraceable as the lightning raining from Ixion wreaked havoc, the burning breath of Ifrit which was hotter than the sun incinerating the monster while the blizzard raging from Shiva put out the flames immediately only to encase the foe in absolute zero, the blinding brilliance blasting from Bahamut nearly putting his eyes out. And let's just say Chaos was down for the count as the creatures vanished. Finally.

To make sure of it, Squall walked up to the unconscious body, delivering a harsh kick. Thank goodness there was no response to that. Thank goodness indeed. He sneered. "About time."

"You can say that again." Cloud felt no less snide at the situation. What else would you expect from those two?

Not everyone was so disparaging though. "How did you do that?!" Just look at Vaan; he was more amazed at the summoning. Not that anyone could blame him, or would even try to. It sure was awesome.

"Yuna must have used the power of the twelve Crystals we had when we combined our powers to summon such beings." Onion Knight scrutinized, scratching his chin before turning to face said maiden. "Am I right?"

The addressed giggled. "As perceptive as always!" A gleeful grin graced her lips. "Shortly after we managed to revert Feral Chaos back into Chaos, I heard several voices calling out to me, telling me of who and what they are and to call on them. Which I did."

"You are kind and pure of heart; The Crystals knew of that and established a pathway to link you to the Aeons." Cosmos smiled. "I am truly grateful I got to know such a wonderful person."

Red tinted the lauded's cheeks. "T-Thank you."

"I'm so glad this is over with!" A yawn escaped Naruto's mouth, arms stretching over his head. "I'm beat!"

Sasuke humphed. "Dobe."

"Teme." Blue met black as both engaged in a glaring contest.

Tifa's giggling interrupted them though. "Boys will be boys!" A smirk made its way to her face as she then turned to a certain someone. "My, my, wasn't somebody furious earlier."

"Shut up." The Strife scoffed.

The Lockhart wasn't having any of that. "You took the phrase 'beat the crap out of someone' to a whole new level!"

"You know I've hated Sephiroth for the longest time." Still in denial I see?

The raven lady could _definitely_ see that for herself. "Even you fighting Sephiroth before Chaos became Feral Chaos looked tame in comparison!" That super smug smirk wasn't going away any time soon. "I wonder why?" Oh she knows. And they both know it.

"SHUT UP!" There was no hiding the crimson that erupted on the normally stoic man's face.

Tidus couldn't help but laugh at that. "Your face is priceless!" He fished into his pocket, pulling out his phone. "I must take a pictur—"

"Do you have a death wish?" That heated glare _oozing_ with murderous intent stopped the guy short, all humor vanishing from his features as he broke out into a cold sweat.

Yuna snickered as she went to her boyfriend's side. "You know better than to mess with Cloud!"

"I just couldn't resist!" He cried. "You only see something like that once in a lifetime!"

Ice-cold cerulean bore into the speaker. "You won't be having one if you keep on talking about this."

"EEEEP!" The poor guy jumped ten feet into the air, definitely not cowering behind his girlfriend. "Y-Yuna, have I ever told you how much I love you?"

A genuine smile graced the addressed's lips. "Only every day." She reached up, cupping her boyfriend's cheeks in her hands before giving his lips a kiss. "I love you too."

"Get a room you two." Onion Knight was _not_ amused.

Tidus whined. "But we _are_ in a room!"

"Another room. A private room. Away from anyone else." The lad scoffed. "There _is _a young person here you know."

Naruto was confused. "Where? Where?!"

"Onion Knight is only 13." Cosmos just could not _not_ say that.

Wait for it. Wait for it... "WHAT?!" Mind. Blown. Blue eyes bugged from their owner's head as he swiveled to the youngest. "YOU'RE A KID?!"

"_Young person._" A tick mark appeared on his temples. "Not a kid."

That didn't stop a mouth from crashing into the ground. "I thought you were 18! Or 19! Or 20!"

"This little guy is wise beyond his years!" Vaan ignored the fuming of said little guy as he leapt in, side-hugging the younger. "That's my little brother for you!"

The so-called 'little brother' huffed at that. "We aren't even related...aniki."

"YES! ABOUT TIME YOU CALLED ME BIG BROTHER!" It looked like Vaan would die at any moment, and a happy death at that.

The youngest winced at that. "It's not a big deal you know."

"YES IT IS!" Closer and closer to that happy death...

Amidst the chaos, a certain someone tried to sneak away. No such luck. "You aren't getting away so easily big boy!"

"Tifa..." Tomatoes and rubies were jealous of how red Cloud was.

Aerith giggled, stepping between the two. "That's enough Tifa. We don't need Cloud dying on us."

"Yes. Seriously." Squall face-palmed. He was not in the mood for seeing a stubborn Strife violently exploding after all.

The Lockhart conceded. "Alright..." The tormented was in the middle of a sigh of relief when— "...for now." Of course he wouldn't be so fortunate. "I'll be getting a confession from this spiky hard-head, just you wait!"

"YOU LIKE TIFA?!" That dropped jaw was now in oblivion.

If looks could kill, Naruto would be roasting on the ground in a slow, painful manner which would make the eternal inferno of hell look like heaven. "Shut up." That was not a 'no' though.

"EEEEP!" Let's just say the Uzumaki had reacted in the same manner as Tidus, cowering behind a certain someone.

A tick mark appeared on that certain someone's temples. "Get off, usuratonkachi."

"NO!" There was no hiding that hint of red on those pale cheeks however.

Itachi may or may not have snapped a photo of that in stealth. And he may or may not have saved said photo in a 'precious pictures' file. "Orokana otouto." Of course, unlike Tidus, he was 100% successful.

BAM! All eyes snapped to the source of that sound, all conversations ceased. Thank goodness it wasn't another nasty surprise. "We are very sorry for the delay Madam Cosmos!" A squadron of police officers had busted through the torn-up wall, hands pressed to their sides and all standing in a respectful gesture to their leader. "We had to apprehend many more of Chaos's minions in the upper levels of this building!"

"That Garland guy made even the most grotesque of goblins look good. The so-called 'Emperor' looked like a failed cosplayer pretending to be high and mighty. I seriously thought Cloud of Darkness and Ultimecia were some wannabe strippers. Exdeath was more like some seriously bad breath. Kefka Palazzo looked more like a messed-up mentally-ill monstrous clown reject than a criminal. Kuja was one seriously horribly hammy henchman. Gabranth needs some serious anger management classes." How Onion Knight was able to say all that with a straight face is beyond all of the geniuses who had, have, and will exist _combined_. "I had the misfortune of seeing them as Vaan and I were searching for The Crystals scattered about this hideout."

The mentioned beamed. "What he said!" And Vaan just took it all in stride. "And thank goodness we had that special 'Crystal Detector' thing or else we would have been majorly lost!" Another side-hug was abruptly given. "And thank goodness my little brother over here can pick all kinds of locks!"

"Aniki..." The boy may or may not have leaned in regardless.

A throat awkwardly cleared. "Yes, it's just as Sir Onion Knight and Sir Vaan had said." Another uncomfortable cough followed. "Anyways, after some struggle and all the reinforcements we could get our hands on, we were able to subdue all of the minions and transported them to jail. Thank goodness none of them were nearly as dangerous as Sephiroth, although none of them were easy to take down." Eyes widened in realization. "Where is he—"

"Right over there." The officers' eyes followed Cloud's finger to the unconscious mercenary. "Oh, and Chaos is over there and we burned his Western Taipan Shinryu to ashes."

But they only heard the first part of that sentence as their eyes fell upon the former...and bugged beyond belief. "OH MY GOD! THAT'S HIM?!"

"HE MUST BE A SPAWN OF SATAN!"

"HE'S SO HIDEOUS!"

"I'M GOING TO PUKE!"

Numerous officers proceeded to faint on the spot. Thank goodness they weren't there when Feral Chaos was out and about. Yep.

"Wait..." Something didn't sit right with Sasuke. Piercing ebon orbs immediately flicked to Cosmos and her bodyguards. "How do you know who we are? Why did you not question our presence?"

Onion Knight shrugged. "Tifa told us she had some friends not from around here or Traverse Town who would be helping her and the rest chase down Chaos. I told Cosmos, Vaan, and everyone else of this news."

"This better not be going viral, okay?" Piercing ebon orbs narrowed.

The woman smiled. "Of course. We will not disclose your names or let cameras or the press into the court room. We will just refer to you all as the heroes of Fushichō."

* * *

The 18th of December

"What a day!"

The trial held immediately after Chaos and all of his surviving minions were arrested sure was a headache. Cloud was almost thrown out of the court room several times after threatening to assault Sephiroth more than once; thank goodness Tifa was there to calm him each and every time. And thank goodness Sephiroth was in the most restricting of cuffs and had his Masamune confiscated or else he would have definitely retaliated. Most of the witnesses to the trial had a hard time keeping awake as one look at the defendants sent almost everyone into a fainting spell. Cloud of Darkness and Ultimecia were forced to wear modest clothing. Mothers had to cover their children's eyes from Chaos and Kefka, the former encased in a practically indestructible and inescapable cage made of steel, titanium, tungsten, inconel, and magnesium alloy with a pinch of magic amidst it all and what may or may not have been buzzing bullets courtesy of a certain precise sniper—which appeared to be nothing more than harmless flies to others—daring the demon to try to flee. Kuja was told more than once to stop speaking like a person from Shakespeare's plays.

At least the outcome didn't give any headaches; all of them were almost immediately declared guilty with their defense lawyers not really trying—not that that would have made a difference, seeing as the beloved Cosmos was testifying against them in addition to her bodyguards and every police officer in the city. Plus some anonymous sources aka Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi. And the villains would be put behind bars for a very, _very_ long time. Cloud sure was happy with that. And so was everyone else.

But now that that was out of the way, something else came to attention. Something that started with Itachi announcing that the three had to leave and had already packed their bags...

"Here we go again." Squall sighed.

Aerith gave a sad smile. "I wish our time together wasn't so short. It feels like we had less time together than last time."

"Do you _have_ to go?!" Yuna whined.

Tidus was no better. "Stupid Chaos! He wasted all of the time we could have spent hanging out!" He pouted. "I didn't even get to show you guys Blitzball!"

"We can't just go changing up their plans." Cloud huffed.

Tifa nodded. "Especially if they had already packed their stuff and made reservations and plans at the next place."

"Aww..." The couple visibly deflated.

The sound of laughter caused them both to look up. "Don't worry! We'll be back and you can show us Blitzball then!"

"Naruto-kun is right." Itachi smiled. "We will return here in a matter of weeks."

The two, in addition to everyone—including a certain stoic pair—else, instantly cheered up at that. "ALRIGHT!" A fist was pumped. "I'll be playing in a tournament here in a few weeks so you better be there!"

"YEAH!" The Uzumaki beamed brighter than the sun.

The sound of a throat clearing drew the nine's attention to the newcomers. "A little birdie told another little birdie who told us a certain three usually leave after about two half days and two full days and that this is the last day." The Gainsborough and the Lockhart were definitely not whistling in a not-suspicious manner as Onion Knight and Vaan walked up to them, flanking Cosmos's sides as she approached them as well.

"Fushichō cannot thank you enough for the bravery and assistance you all exhibited. The Crystals are now safe where they belong at Dissidia Museum with the best security keeping them from being stolen once again. I also managed to cast a spell that would reveal anyone with Chaos's ability and allow them to be apprehended. Now everyone can enjoy such an important part of Fushichō's history. And with Chaos and his minions behind bars, his and Sephiroth's reign of terror has ended." She gave a bow. "You will never be forgotten."

Everyone else bowed too, returning the thanks. Onion Knight's lips quirked up. "When you three return, you should visit Dissidia Museum."

"Of course we will." Itachi smiled. "Let's exchange information. It will come in handy for communicating with each other."

"All right." They did just that, sharing their contacts amongst themselves—except for Squall and Aerith who had already done so back at Traverse Town. They even got Cosmos's number.

And now it was time to go. Aerith started to wave. Like before. "Bye! See you again!"

"You better not forget!" Tidus yelled.

Yuna grinned. "I can't wait to see you all again!"

"Don't be strangers." Cloud stated. Plain and simple.

Tifa beamed. "Come back soon, alright?"

"...See you." Squall gave a little wave.

Onion Knight offered a single nod. "Don't keep us waiting too long."

"It'll be nice to see you again!" Vaan shouted.

Cosmos smiled at the guests. "You are welcome back any time."

"I'll miss you all!" Naruto announced.

Sasuke remained silent for several moments before finally opening his mouth. "...Bye."

"Thank you for having us." Itachi bowed. The three then headed for the oldest's car, entering it.

The nine watched as the trio departed, not leaving until they were out of sight.

* * *

Translation: aniki=big brother, Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	34. Chapter 34

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **ImNotAStalkerchan** for favoriting Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità in contrast to **Meiousei Dark** who followed it while **Gummy-bears28** did the former for that same story in addition to Don't Hide, Guzzle, Scarf, Wolf, Hakkōna, Kimyōna, Komisch, Caldo, Of the Third World, Paws and Feet, Seebeck Effect, and Testardo, Persistente as well as **BlackNoblesse** for commenting on before favoriting Hetalia on Ice then Skater Shadowing while only favoriting Waltzing In—with **Ellanore** favoriting all three—whereas **Kathrine Katsuragi** prior to **irrelevantperson0614** favorited anterior to followed Skater Shadowing subsequently **CrystalEscapade** for simply enacting the former for the same exact fanfic! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

THANK YOU **BlackNoblesse**! *BIG BANG!*

HAPPY BIRTHDAY **Sefirosa**! I HOPE YOU CAN ENJOY THIS SPECIAL OCCASION! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_The nine watched as the trio departed, not leaving until they were out of sight.  
_

* * *

"Here we are."

For hours on end, Itachi had been driving, leaving their prior place of stay far behind. During the ride, Naruto had once again fallen asleep, leaning against the nearest window. The eldest chuckled as he witnessed a certain someone looking oh so discreetly behind himself, smirking. "Orokana otouto."

At last after what seemed to be forever, water came into view, a sea surrounding a large mass of land on three sides which held numerous edifices of all sorts cluttered together with such municipalities scattered about the promontory able to be seen as the vehicle sped on forward.

The Uzumaki chose that time to wake up, blearily glancing at his surroundings. "Huh? Where are we this time?"

"We're in Fiore." Sasuke's gaze was straight ahead. "It's a peninsula that houses many prosperous metropolises, Magnolia Town the one we're going to within the myriad of the conurbations here." He grumbled. "Like all the places we have and will be visiting, nii-san and I have been here on business with tou-san."

His brother laughed. "Don't forget that we're here to gain new experiences, not work."

"Hn..."

The blond quirked a brow. "Let me guess...this place isn't like Traverse Town or Lumiose City or Iwatodai or Fushichō, right?" He caught on.

"Right. Magnolia Town has a population of 60,000 and gained its prosperity through the vast amount of trade that occurs within. In fact, the last time Sasuke and I were there, father managed to close a deal that proved to be quite beneficial to both parties; Uchiha Incorporated obtained a foothold in such an important bustling trading hotspot while Magnolia Town received our merchandise for the merchants there to sell, increasing business." The eldest chuckled. "However, you will see what makes it unique once we arrive...although you should not always believe what you see there."

That made the Uzumaki more than a little confused. "Huh?! What do you mean by that?!"

"You'll see..." As cryptic as always. At last they reached the hotel they would be staying in for the time being. "Let's rest up first. We had a hectic past few days."

And rest up they did. After Naruto had settled down, he checked his e-mails, doing what needed to be done; he had his cram session with Shikamaru, did all the homework Chōji had sent him, and told Kiba all that had happened. The blond could not afford to fall behind after all, despite all the events that he went through. Especially with the make-up exams he'll have to be taking upon coming back. The real world can't just be left behind no matter how crazy things have been.

"Naruto-kun, it's time to go out for dinner." The elder's instruction prompted the addressed to hang up, him getting ready to go out.

He was done in a matter of minutes. "Let's go!" And go they did. The three walked towards a little restaurant within the establishment.

"Let's order our food." The younger two did as the older said, reading through what had been passed to them, reading through all the options.

A certain set of entrées had the Uzumaki's mouth watering. "Ramen, ramen, ramen, even more ramen, miso ramen with extra pork..." It had been _days_ since the poor boy had some ramen, _DAYS_; he must be going through withdrawal right now. Guess which one he chose though? "I want many huge bowls of miso ramen with extra pork!" Of course; although the guy loved all ramen, that variety would always hold a special place in his ramen-loving heart.

"Of course Naruto-kun." Itachi sure found that amusing.

Someone else didn't though. "Dobe." Sasuke face-palmed. "Are you trying to eat your way into the grave?"

"Teme." A tongue stuck out. "This is nothing."

A smirk made its way to the eldest's lips as he chuckled. "Do you remember how Naruto-kun was able to handle the incredibly large amount of Special Ramen and beef bowls back at Iwatodai without batting a single lash?"

"How could I forget?" How _could_ he forget? He'll probably be having nightmares of those incidences for the rest of his life. They will never, _ever_ go away.

Despite the trauma, Sasuke was still able to order his food, as was Itachi—who was only amused and not disgusted in the least unlike his younger brother. After the orders came in with Naruto being given ten huge bowls of miso ramen with extra pork—where _does_ all that food go?—and Sasuke one bowl of tomato soup while Itachi got a plate of seaweed-stuffed onigiri with stir-fried cabbage and dango on the side, the three dug in. Or more like Naruto inhaled his ramen while the Uchiha brothers ate with manners like the civilized people they are. Seriously, Naruto dove in instantaneously, breathing in the noodles as if he had been deprived of oxygen all his life. It was as though he was a deprived beast as he gobbled down the torrent of food as though he had been ruthlessly starved for countless eternities—which was not hard to believe upon seeing him tear the mountainous meal apart. All disaster broke loose.

And that trauma came back. And those nightmares won't be leaving Sasuke any time soon. And Itachi will never fail to be amused by this. But they weren't the only ones watching. "Whoa! How are you doing that?!"

"Teach me that trick!" The three looked up, watching as a lean yet muscular young man of average height with a slightly tan skin tone, black eyes, spiky pink-colored hair, and abnormally sharp canines in addition to having a striped scarf around his neck and a tattoo reminiscent of a crimson flame in the shape of a fairy with a long pointed tail just below his right shoulder with a thick black wristband on his left wrist who was dressed in a gold trimmed black waistcoat left open and untucked which exposed his six pack as well as possessing a gold trimmed black cloth around his waist that reached his knees held by a leather brown belt with an oval-shaped silver buckle that also supported white knee-length trousers with black ribbon ties which ended at black open-toed sandals and had a rolled up comforter strapped across his back along with a chestnut-hued girl with shoulder-length blonde hair tied in a ponytail by a blue ribbon to the right side of her head with the rest of her hair loose who possessed a buxom and curvaceous body donned in a white blouse with thick cerulean lines running across the middle of the fabric like a cross as well as the seams and a skirt of the same color held up by a brown belt—what appeared to be a long black whip curled up at her side—and onyx boots, several golden and gainsboro keys on a ring attached to the sash and had a pink version of her companion's mark on her right hand approached them.

Naruto—whose cheeks were definitely not bulging with noodles and condiments overflowing from his overstuffed face—was more than perplexed by the situation at hand. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Him talking with his mouth so full was not only not pleasant to look at, it was a miracle upon miracles he did not choke right then let alone could form comprehensible words.

"How you're able to eat that much food at once!" The male exclaimed. "I wish I had that ability! Could you teach me how you're doing that? Could you? Could you?!"

The female scratched her chin as she directed her gaze at the glutton. "Is the food going into a magic satchel of sorts? Or are you making it disappear while not actually eating it since you appeared to consume more than your stomach could possibly hold?" Hair was clutched into fists as she cried out. "I'm so confused!"

"Can you make the food reappear?!" The boy cut back in, excited as ever.

Sasuke scoffed at that. "The only ways that the idiot's food is reappearing are if he either pukes his guts out or he waits a day to go to the bathroom to crap it all out." He crossed his arms, expression indignant. "Either way, the food won't be recognizable as it will either be vomit or feces nor would you want to be there when either happens—"

"TEME! THAT'S GROSS!" And the food flying from his mouth as he shouted wasn't. Once again, how did he not choke?

The addressed sneered. "It's the truth, usuratonkachi."

"What are your names?" Ignoring the pair's antics, Itachi spoke, directing the question at the newcomers.

The girl's cheeks immediately lit on fire as a blush crept across her face. "I'm so sorry! We should have introduced ourselves earlier!" She gave an apologetic bow. "My name is Lucy Heartfilia!"

"And I'm Natsu Dragneel!" The bright beaming made it more than evident that he was much less rueful than his friend about that.

The embarrassment quickly wore off as the blonde once again faced the blond. "Seriously, how are you doing that?!"

"Maybe he has a black hole in place of a stomach?" A guy bearing black spiky hair and possessing dark blue eyes who had a toned and muscular body with a teal variant of the other two's tattoos on his pecs, wearing a white coat with a necklace that resembled a sword with a stone in it around his neck, a metal bracelet around his right wrist, and a chain which was attached to the belt loops on the right side of his pants walked up to them, face completely serious.

A petite brown-eyed girl with fair skin with elongated canine teeth and a topaz seal that looked the same as the other three's on her right shoulder and had her blue hair up in pigtails held together by two attachments which appeared similar to cat ears, two strands hanging down on each side of her face wearing a long sleeved top with two buttons in the center and an ascot around her neck, the top adorned with a small pattern around the shoulders and a small trim around the upturned cuffs above a frilled skirt with a small trim running around right above the end plus thigh high socks who had been next to the ebon as they went up to the five frowned at what he said. "That isn't a very nice thing to say, especially to a person you barely know."

"She's right you know." A young woman who had long scarlet hair and brown eyes with her bangs covering the right one, also possessing a slender voluptuous figure clad in silver armor, a blue skirt, black boots, and diamond shaped silver earrings with the same symbol on the middle of her left upper arm which was blue in color commented as she joined the rest.

The chastised shrugged it off. "Whatever. By the way, I'm Gray Fullbuster."

"Erza Scarlet." Short and sweet.

That frown quickly turned upside-down as a smile replaced it. "My name is Wendy Marvell! It's nice to meet you!"

"Likewise." The eldest returned the greeting. "My name is Itachi Uchiha."

The younger sibling barely casted a glance at the pentad. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Naruto Uzumaki!" Again, how Naruto didn't choke let alone could speak with so much food in and overflowing from his mouth is a miracle. One that is beyond all of the geniuses who had, have, and will exist _combined_. Something suddenly caught the blond's eye, something all five shared in common. "What are those tattoos?" His mouth dropped open, ramen spilling out as a thought came to him. "Are you guys part of a gang?!"

A certain someone face-palmed. "Dobe! You don't just ask people that!"

"What?!" The accused retorted. "Why else would they have the same tattoo on their bodies?!"

Face met palm again. And again. And again. "You can't just jump to conclusions—"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" And that officially ended their argument. The boisterous laughter coming from the two guys and the blonde—the blunet barely able to stifle a giggle while the ginger smirked—was definitely not what either of them was expecting after all.

Upon calming down at last, Natsu faced the three, snickers escaping. "If what you meant by 'gang' is the greatest guild in all of Fiore, then you're right!"

"Guild?! As in the guilds of medieval times?!" The confounded only became more and more confused by the second.

Gray shrugged. "Something like that. A guild is a type of organization in Fiore, characterized by a member base and common trade. The purpose of a guild is to obtain and disseminate job requests to the members of the guild."

"There are three different types of Guilds: Legal, Dark, and Independent." Erza chose that time to take over. "A Legal Guild is one that has been approved and registered by the Magic Council. A Dark Guild is one that has not been approved by the Magic Council and is treated as a criminal organization. An Independent Guild is one that is not approved by the Magic Council, but at the same time is not considered a criminal organization; they can do anything they please as long as the Magic Council doesn't disapprove of the actions. Aside from Magic Guilds, there are variety of other guilds, such as merchant, mercenary, treasure hunter, workmen guilds, and even bandit guilds with combat and industrial guilds dotting the countryside. In general, guilds are formed for individuals to take Jobs and earn Jewels. Legal Guilds also work to defend against Dark Mages and other criminals; Independent guilds likewise fight illicit guilds."

Itachi cut in. "The Magic Council is the ruling body for all of Fiore while Jewels are the non-denominational unit of currency here and are not gems but are instead fiat money, like the yen. By the way, one Jewel is equal to 1.14 yen."

"Wait a second...you two are from Uchiha Incorporated, aren't you?!" Lucy spontaneously cried out, surprising everyone but the brothers themselves. "My dad does business with your company!"

Itachi nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, our fathers have indeed worked out several deals which benefited both parties. However, we aren't here for work; the three of us are here on a trip with this place as one of the destinations we are visiting."

"Well you chose a great time to visit!" Wendy chirped. "We're going to have the Grand Magic Games here tomorrow and we as the Fairy Tail guild will be competing in it!"

Question marks floated above the blond. "Fairy Tale?! As in a story?!"

"No, Fairy TAIL, as in the tail of a fairy." A wide grin graced the Dragneel's face. "We're the greatest wizard guild in all of history and we'll be proving it there!"

* * *

Translation: Orokana=Foolish, otouto=little brother, nii-san=older brother, tou-san=father

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	35. Chapter 35

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa **for reviewing the previous chapter! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"No, Fairy TAIL, as in the tail of a fairy." A wide grin graced the Dragneel's face. "We're the greatest wizard guild in all of history and we'll be proving it there!"_

Naruto's eyes bugged beyond belief. "Wizard...as in you guys can do magic?!"

"Yep!" And then those eyes proceeded to blast out of their skull as flames erupted from Natsu's hands. "Cool, huh?"

And then a jaw proceeded to smash into the ground. "Yeah it is!"

"Wizards, or Mages, make up ten percent of all inhabitants of Fiore. 'Wizard' and 'Mage' are interchangeable terms which both refer to those who have Magic and can use said Magic to cast spells and employ magical objects." Erza explained. "Ten percent of all inhabitants within Fiore are Mages while the remaining ninety percent either aren't, or won't reveal themselves."

Sasuke quirked a brow at that. "Are Mages illusionists of sorts?"

"You saw that fire, didn't you?!" The Uzumaki retorted. "That couldn't have been fake!"

The addressed scoffed. "Technology has been making leaps and bounds, you know."

"That isn't a trick of the eye though." Gray grunted as he held his hands up. At that moment, a blue mist swirled in front of him, a frozen lance appearing in his grasp seconds later. "Mages are often affiliated with a guild, where they can take on Jobs as a source of personal income and adventure, but can't be considered full-fledged until they join a guild of their own choosing. There are three main types of Mages: Legal Mages, Dark Mages, and Independent Mages."

The pyro beamed brightly. "Just look at us; we the Fairy Tail guild are living proof!" Even more flames burst from his palms, the blond's jaw officially dropping to oblivion at the inconceivable display.

"Magic has been around for centuries." Wendy cut in. "Every type of Magic comes from The One Magic, the original source of all types of Magic. Magic was once oppressed and feared, but gradually became an everyday phenomenon."

Lucy practically jumped up and down as she joined in the elaboration. "Magic is the physical embodiment of the spirit. When the physical spirit of an organism connects with the spiritual flow of nature, the spirit forms Magic as a product of the connection. Only ten percent of Fiore's population is able to use Magic, which is noted to keep a balance between ordinary people and those with Magic. It takes an enormous amount of concentration and mental ability to use Magic. One's strength of feelings is an important part of Magic as well."

"Wow..." To say Naruto was awestruck would be a _massive_ understatement.

But that spell was broken as soon as the Dragneel had decided to shove his face toward the Uzumaki's. "You're going to the Grand Magic Games, right?"

"The tickets have been sold out since last week though..." The Marvell's musings instantly deflated Naruto and Natsu.

The former groaned. "Man! I wish I knew about it earlier so I could have gotten a tick—"

"You mean this?" Blue eyes widened as certain slips of paper were brought into view. Itachi chuckled. "I knew about this event in advance so I bought tickets for the three of us before embarking on this trip." A smirk graced his lips. "That's also why I chose this span of days for us to go to Fiore."

Itachi _never_ ceases to amaze. Naruto can attest to that for sure. "Thanks Itachi!"

"No problem, Naruto-kun." And that smug smirk softened into a genuine smile. He then glanced up, shifting his gaze to the five. "You are welcome to join us for dinner. It's my treat. You all should relax and rest up in preparation for the first day of the Grand Magic Games tomorrow."

A certain pair was more than eager to take up that opportunity. "Alright!"

"Thank you so much!" Natsu and Lucy took their places at the table as if they belonged there.

The rest were not so quick to jump the gun. The Fullbuster crossed his hands behind his head. "Nah, it's alright."

"We don't want to take advantage of your hospitality." Not like the two cared even as the Scarlet's stare was so pointedly directed at them.

Wendy gave a deep bow. "We really appreciate the thought though—" Cue the three stomachs suddenly growling. And the red blossoming on both girls' cheeks as the guy pretended nothing had happened.

"I insist." The elder Uchiha reaffirmed. "Money is no object and we would appreciate learning more about Magnolia Town and Fiore as a whole from people who actually live here."

And they could no longer resist. Gray sighed. "Oh fine."

"Thank you for the offer." Erza sat down.

And so did Wendy. "Thank you so much!"

"Alright! I'm starving!" As if on cue, a waiter came around upon hearing the Dragneel's cry, giving the newcomers menus to look through.

And after a few minutes, they knew what they wanted to order, speaking up as the server came back. Lucy was the first to go. "I want the Strawberry Bruschetta Chicken with a strawberry smoothie and strawberry shortcake please!"

"A full rack of barbecue ribs." The Fullbuster stated.

The Marvell smiled sweetly. "Crab Cake Burgers please!"

"I would like to have the Shrimp Tempura Rolls please." Erza gave a nod.

And it was Natsu's turn. "I want the Super Spicy Chicken Curry with extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra spices!"

"Uh huh." And the waiter took it all in stride. "Do you want Carolina Reapers in your curry?"

It was a wonder how his face hadn't split into two with how wide his grin was. "Heck yeah!" And the man left at that moment.

"Carolina Reapers are the spiciest known peppers in the world, measuring at 2,200,000 SHU." And Sasuke officially had gone pale.

Question marks floated above Naruto's head. "SHU?"

"The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency—spicy heat—of chili peppers such as the jalapeño, the bhut jolokia, and the world's current hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper or other spicy foods as reported in Scoville heat units—SHU—which is a function of capsaicin concentration." The blond turned to face Itachi as he gave his explanation. "Capsaicin is one of many related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids. The scale is named after its creator, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test. Unlike methods based on high-performance liquid chromatography, the Scoville scale is a subjective measurement dependent on the capsaicin sensitivity of testers and so is not a precise or accurate method to measure capsaicinoid concentration."

Like that cleared anything up. "...Okay." Yeah...no.

"You are beyond the craziest of lunatics, Natsu." The Fullbuster face-palmed.

The addressed stuck his tongue out. "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen ice-stro!" Sparks proceeded to fly between the two boys. And the three girls watched on as if they had seen this before. Hundreds upon hundreds of times. Not everyone did though.

"Nii-san, you seriously can't be okay with this." Sasuke was uncharacteristically worried as he turned to face his brother, unusually panicked.

How did said older sibling respond? "He'll be okay."

"Nii-san!" Sasuke gasped. He was truly horrified. "You're one sadistic piece of sh—"

As if on cue, the waiter came back with all of the orders in tow in record time, cutting him off. "Here you go."

"THANKS!" Despite the vast array of dishes on the cart, piercing ebon orbs could see only one and one only; a certain super spicy dish simmered, the air around it heavily distorted as though it was a piece of the hottest desert in all of existence all on the area of one plate. Seriously, a mirage could be seen floating above the intense wave of heat radiating from the cremating curry. Indefinite gulp.

As soon as their meals were placed before them, the five clasped their hands above their food. "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!" How could Sasuke forget that Naruto—surprisingly—still had a tremendous amount of ramen left?

And the pentad couldn't hide their curiousity as they watched him eat. "Seriously, how are you eating that much food?!" Lucy cried. "I want to know so badly! I'm so jealous!"

"I don't know. I've always been able to eat this much." The guy in question only paused in his inhalation of noodles long enough to shrug before returning to said inhaling.

Natsu beamed. "That's so cool! You're awesome!" Sasuke would beg to differ. At least on what made him so 'cool' and 'awesome'. The pyro proceeded to scarf down his own meal, gobbling it down as though he hadn't had a bite in millennias. "SO GOOD!"

"Really?! Can I try?!" At the overly eager nod, Naruto happily took a bit of the Dragneel's dish, mouth wide as he brought the morsel to his mouth.

Sasuke literally feared for the fool's life. "DOBE! DON'T—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" To say Naruto was breathing fire would _not_ be an exaggeration in the slightest; flames erupted from the blond's mouth, practically covering the entire space. It was a mirace upon the holiest upon holiest and merciful of miracles that nobody was caught in that blaze. Or how the entire building hadn't burned down to the ground, nothing but a heap of smoldering ashes at the end of the day.

Face met palm again and again and again and again. "You stupid brain-dead idiotic moronic foolish dimwit—"

"Whoa! That was so awesome!" And Sasuke's jaw dropped to the very bottom of the universe; the Uzumaki didn't look like he had been hurling the very inferno of hell itself just seconds ago as he beamed brightly, all buddy-buddy with Natsu as they tried each other's food. Lucy wholeheartedly laughed at the display while Wendy barely managed to stifle a giggle, Erza smirking while Itachi was only amused. At least the younger Uchiha wasn't the only one who was incredibly appalled; so was Gray. Both looked like they had seen the most terrifying of ghosts, utterly aghast. And rightfully so.

Well, there goes even more fuel into Sasuke's unending nightmares.

* * *

The 19th of December

"Come on! Hurry up!"

The rest of that night consisted of the following: Naruto and Natsu making a crap ton of racket, Naruto and Natsu nearly being thrown out for causing said crap ton of racket, Naruto and Natsu having to be pulled away from each other so both parties could go to their respective places of rest, Naruto and Natsu bidding tearful farewells as they were being dragged away, Naruto talking about Natsu to his three friends—loudly I might add—for hours upon hours on end. Natsu, Natsu, Natsu. Geez, they're kindred spirits. Like brothers from another mother. Or nearly identical clones. Who knows? Sasuke sure doesn't.

Anyways, the Uzumaki practically leapt out of bed the following morning, a dust trail in his wake as he rushed to the little restaurant within the establishment. Turns out there was a near carbon copy of the same dust cloud bellowing from another direction as the Dragneel rushed to the same place. Thank goodness neither collided into the other. Breakfast was almost the same as dinner the night before; once again, Naruto and Natsu shared food—thank goodness the latter's food wasn't extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra spicy this time around. And once again, Naruto and Natsu made a crap ton of racket. And once again, Naruto and Natsu were nearly thrown out for causing said crap ton of racket. And once again, Naruto and Natsu had to be pulled away from each other so both parties could go to their respective places for the day. And once again, Naruto and Natsu bidded tearful farewells as they were being dragged away. They really are like the same people from different places.

And now the three were at the stadium where the event was being held known as the Domus Flau, having front row seats to all the action—the perks of genius planning along with a nearly endless budget. The place was bustling with people cheering, excitement more than evident throughout. No one was immune, not Naruto, not the Uchiha brothers. Although the latter pair could fool anyone with how stoic they normally are.

At the arena itself, there were an innumerable number of guilds gathered, the trio scarcely spotting Fairy Tail, the males dressed in purple trench coats bearing the team's insignia to the left in white while the women wore blouses of the same designs. Upon closer inspection however, there could be yet another five seen with the same uniforms and the same sigils, yet they were not standing near the five the three knew. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not...

At that moment, several lights flashed from below, a guy possessing a huge pumpkin for a head in addition to wearing a striped red and white shirt with a dark green cape along with a pair of black trousers, navy blue boots, white gloves, and a green wizard's hat appearing in the midst.

"To all the guilds here for the Grand Magic Games! Good morning!" The announcer began speaking. "In order to reduce the participating teams from 113 down to 8...we will now begin a 'Preliminary Event'!"

Chaos ensued below. Naruto was shell-shocked. "That's a huge drop!"

"Whatever Mato says, it goes." Itachi explained. "He's the one who holds these games after all and therefore gets to make up the rules at all times."

A mouth dropped wide open. "No way..."

"Every year more and more guilds come; that's a sign this event was starting to be taken too lightly. This year, we've brought the number of competing teams down to 8." And the guy continued on. "The preliminary rules are simple!" At that moment, the ground suddenly quaked, shifting and changing all around as a structure erupted from beneath. A structure akin to a huge contraption consisted of gears and other parts as well as buildings all suspended by cables from below. "You will now all compete with each other. The goal is the event grounds, Domus Flau! The first 8 teams to make it will participate in the event. Your lodgings will be the starting line for this Preliminary Event." It seemed as though wooden bridges were appearing from thin air in front of each group as the speaker spoke. "Feel free to use any magic you like, there are no restrictions. As long as you're one of the first 8 teams to make it. But if all 5 members of your team don't make it there, you still lose!" And the tone of voice seemed to darken. "And...one...more...thing...we take no responsibility for anyone who loses their life in the labyrinth..."

Naruto gasped. "Loses their life?! As in dying?!" He had paled considerably.

"What a tournament." Sasuke grunted.

Itachi watched on, eyes staring straight ahead. "Just how will everything work out from now on?"

"The Grand Magic Game's Preliminary Event!" All teams were on their marks, getting ready... "Sky Labyrinth has begun!" ...And gone ahead with the race. Everything starts now.

* * *

Translation: Nii-san=Older brother, Itadakimasu=Thanks for the food

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	36. Chapter 36

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa **and **yukino76 **for reviewing the previous chapter plus **KatyStalk** for favoriting as well as following Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"The Grand Magic Game's Preliminary Event!" All teams were on their marks, getting ready... "Sky Labyrinth has begun!" ...And gone ahead with the race. Everything starts now.__  
_

All 113 teams rushed forward at the exact same time, scampering on ahead. Each was searching for the finish line, but not with the same results; some were more successful than others. And from what the three could see on the gigantic hologram broadcasting everything, Fairy Tail was definitely in the latter group...the others. Gulp.

Naruto cupped his mouth, screaming at the top of his lungs. "YOU CAN DO IT!"

"Watch it dobe!" Sasuke was forced to cover his ears or risk having his eardrums burst. "You want to make people deaf?!"

Blue eyes narrowed at the offender. "Oh shut up teme!"

"Don't take your eyes off of the screen." Itachi's words broke their argument.

A stalemate was reached as both harrumphed, doing as the eldest told. Fairy Tail had went deep into the warren surrounded on all sides by contraptions and structures of all sorts. The three could see just how confused the five were; Natsu's eyes literally became swirls as Gray scanned their surroundings. "The inside is a giant 3D maze."

"GAAAHH! I'm awful at things like this!" And said swirls were not going away any time soon.

Yet despite the dilemma, the Heartfilia beamed confidently as she reached to her side, pulling out one of her silver keys. "Open! A door to the compass constellation, Pyxis!"

"PIKUUU!" A red bird bearing beady eyes, small wings, an orange beak, a tubby body figure, and small yellow feet as well as triangle-shaped patches located mostly on its torso region in addition to a large blackish-grey compass on its head appeared out of nowhere in an instant.

The Uzumaki gaped. "Whoa! Her power is summoning?!"

"She must be utilizing her keys to do so." The elder Uchiha scratched his chin.

The younger seemed he couldn't care less. Seemed... "Hn."

"PIKUU!" The fowl landed on the ground, the needle upon its crown spinning for several seconds before finally stopping, pinions pointing in the same direction.

As had its caller's. "East is that way."

"Thanks, Lucy." Erza grunted. However, what was seen in the Scarlet's hand erased all notions of sincerity.

The pair cowered in a nearby corner. "So, you brought a compass." Yep. Definitely sarcastic.

"We should take notes while we go. We'll make a map." The new voices halted Fairy Tail's advance in their tracks, expressions wary as they scanned the area for the sources.

The redhead scowled. "Someone is here!"

"Hmm..." Wendy scratched her chin. "So that means people from other guilds will be here in the labyrinth."

The sudden appearance of five men who did not appear entirely human, goblinesque features set into rough scowls had the blonde crying out. "Twilight Ogre?! They're participating in this too?!"

"I never expected we'd bump into someone this soon! Take 'em out!" And said cry attracted definitely unwanted attention. "We've got a score to settle with you!"

Yep. Definitely unwanted attention indeed. "BUZZ OFF!" Not that that stopped the Fullbuster and Dragneel from charging head-on, their respective elements forming in their hands. And the five men were sent blasting off.

"What?!" But there was no time to celebrate.

Naruto gasped at the horrific events unfolding. "What's happening?!"

"The floor...no...THE ENTIRE LABYRINTH IS SPINNING!" The Heartfilia shrieked.

The rotation only increased in speed. "It's spinning vertically! Everyone, head for the other side!"

"UWAAAAH!" A certain pair suddenly slipped, having lost their footing.

The Marvell lunged towards them. "Natsu! Lucy!" She was able to latch onto one of their hands each with Erza grabbing onto her ankles who was in turn supported by Gray, the pair hanging on. Whew.

"Thank goodness!" Tears of relief flew from Naruto's eyes. He didn't want to think of what would have happened if Wendy hadn't caught them in time...

Luckily, everything went back to normal within the next few seconds. The Fullbuster sighed. "It stopped."

"Crap...what a labyrinth." The pyro groaned.

The blonde smiled up at the other three. "Thanks guys."

"Phew..." And the two were then lugged back onto a stable surface. Thank goodness indeed.

But not all were so fortunate though. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Twilight Ogre abruptly came crashing down, streams overflowing from their eyes as they thudded harshly onto the floor. What appeared to be a chart drifted to a stop next to the raven member.

"Ogre must have made this map. How lucky." Gray smirked. "If we put this together with the map we made, we should get a much clearer picture of this place."

An evil glint suddenly entered the Scarlet's eye. "AHAAAH! I think we've figured out another way to deal with this Preliminary Event." And that evil glint proceeded to spread to all but Lucy's and Wendy's orbs.

"You guys look scary..." Shivers of fear ran past the pair.

The nefarious three subsequently spontaneously rushed ahead, beating up whoever was nearby all with not-so-nice smiles on their faces. They looked like the Devil himself right then. I wonder why? "Let's go take everyone else's maps!" Now we know. The Fullbuster's malevolent smirk could have fooled anyone.

"We might have made acquaintance with some villainous folk." Sasuke sighed.

The Uzumaki gave a rapid shake of his head. "You're wrong!" The blood-thirsty grin stretched across the pyro's face seemed to prove _him _wrong. Where's the Natsu Naruto came to know and care about?!

"After all, competition means battle! A manly map taking battle!" Who knows?

Sweat flew from Naruto's brow. "You're wrong..."

"BATTLES ARE MY SPECIALTY!" Is Sasuke the one who's wrong? Maybe, or maybe not...

Erza's armor—which had mysteriously appeared at some point—magically vanished, replaced by garments fit for the most fatal of femme fatales. "I'll take that." Not that the poor guy seemed to mind as he—along with several hapless others—were far too infatuated to care.

"Next!" That blood-thirsty grin had yet to get less blood-thirsty.

The much nicer two apologetically bowed to the unfortunate individuals their friends had beaten—and were beating—up. "SORRY!"

"It's working! IT'S WORKING!" Piles of poor people were mowed out of the way as Fairy Tail advanced. "We've got this Preliminary Event!"

Even the normally optimistic Naruto was beginning to doubt their morals. "Uh..." His jaw may or may not be broken with how it couldn't seem to close.

"Usuratonkachi?!" Even that insulting nickname, nor a hand rapidly waving in front of the flaxen's face, could reanimate him.

Smug smirks spread across three of the five—guess who—member's faces as they passed through the finish line at last.

"YES!" And Naruto unfroze, wildly cheering for Fairy Tail. Sasuke was confused—what's going on?!

Mato appeared in front of the crossers, applauding them. "Congratulations on completing the Preliminary Event."

"ALRIGHT!" Lucy and Wendy exchanged high-fives as they squealed.

Natsu beamed. "Of course! It totally worked out for us..."

"So, I'll bet we got first place, right?" Gray was the epitome of a smug snake as he spoke.

It was the host's turn to smirk. "Nope. You barely made 8th place."

Cue the five's eyes bugging beyond belief. In addition to Naruto's jaw dropping to the very bottom of the universe.

* * *

The 20th of December

"It's okay! Don't beat yourselves up!"

The rest of the previous day after the prelims consisted of Naruto trying to cheer the hardly qualified up to no avail while Sasuke pointedly minded his own business as Itachi also attempted to lift the sullen spirits by treating the pentad to both lunch and dinner. But no amount of strawberry-flavored foods, full racks of barbecue ribs, Crab Cake Burgers, Shrimp Tempura Rolls, or Super Spicy Chicken Curry with extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra spices could lift said sullen spirits. Not even Naruto guzzling down twenty huge bowls of miso ramen with extra pork piqued anyone's interest. Not the glum guild. Not a certain someone far too busy looking the other way. Not the eldest of them all who was trapped in his mind as he analyzed the situation at hand. Twenty. Huge. Bowls.

Due to Natsu being too depressed, he had no trouble following his friends back to their place of stay. Blue eyes were unable to unglue from the gloomy cloud hanging above each one of their heads. Which was why as soon as Naruto got back to his own hotel room, he instantly called the best person he knew for advice...Shikamaru.

And there they were the next morning, the miserable members pretty much having to drag themselves out of bed, keeping the three waiting for almost an hour. Thank goodness Naruto incessantly insisted on staying or else they would have left—or more like Sasuke would have forced them to leave.

"Why shouldn't we?" The Dragneel snorted, nowhere near as cheerful as he usually is. "We're supposed to be the best yet here we are, barely being kicked out of the competition before the Grand Magic Games truly started!"

Gray grunted. "We the Fairy Tail guild are supposed to be the best of the best of all of the Legal Guilds who practice Magic."

"How are we supposed to be the best if we are so far from first place?" Erza sighed.

Wendy shook her head. "I hate to say this...but I can't disagree."

"Nor can I." Lucy was so close to bursting into tears. Aww...

This can't go on any longer. "'If you continue to submerge yourselves in what's currently making you miserable, you won't ever be happy; anger or anxiety will be the predominant emotions you'll experience.'" The pentad glanced up, shocked as Naruto spoke. "'Save it for when you _are_ in that situation, not when you aren't. Believe me, that helps us get past our hardships.'" Blue eyes bore into the team. "Someone once told me this." Mamoru flashed through the flaxen's mind. "This guy from a place we visited a little while ago called Iwatodai told me this. He helped me and several friends I made there firm our resolve for what we had to accomplish at that time."

"But how would that help us if we keep on placing low?" The Dragneel shot back.

The Fullbuster nodded. "How well we do is not only dependent on our output, but our competition's output as well."

"We worked as hard as we could back at that Sky Labyrinth yesterday." Erza added. "We were trying our very best yet we barely made the cut."

Wendy quivered. "And we have to go up against 6 other guilds who placed higher than us."

"How are we supposed to do better?" Lucy sniffled. "Them being ahead of us means they must have found a way to traverse the maze faster than we did. That means they won't be easy to go up against."

Resolve blazed on in sapphire fires. "My mom and dad died shortly after I was born. I have no idea how but all I know is that I was the only one who survived and I got sent to an orphanage. Ever since I could remember, I had been sent from foster home to foster home until just last year; I had enough and simply started living on my own, paying rent and utilities by myself while working to pay the bills and going to school all at the same time...but not anymore." Mouths dropped as the blond continued with his story. "On the 2nd of this month, I received a notice of eviction because my landlord basically wants to get rid of me since I am 'scum' to him. To make things worse, that phone call caused me to be late to work, getting me fired." He had definitely caught their undivided attention. Seeing this, he only continued. "For the longest time, I've felt incompetent. I had no foster parents who loved me enough to want me to stay with them. The orphanages I was placed in always wanted to wash their hands of me. I struggled to juggle schoolwork with making barely enough money to pay for food and my bills. The eviction and firing were the last straws; I had never felt more dark and depressed then." Two sets of piercing ebon orbs narrowed at the last bit. However, they quickly widened as determination flared even stronger than before. "However, through this trip, I've learned that I'm not insignificant. That I can overcome what is thrown at me." Blue eyes scanned each of the five. "Even though I'm nowhere close to being the best of the best at anything, I've learned that by not giving up, I can find my own way. Even if I'm at my lowest, as long as I don't let my doubts and negativity consume me, I'll climb my way back up." Cerulean conflagrations nearly burned down everything with how intense they were. "You guys are the best of the best and if you really are, you should not let your defeats conquer you. To allow misery to worm its way into your hearts." A genuine smile graced his lips. "Don't compare yourselves to your competitors. Work to surpass them and keep trying, no matter how high the odds are stacked against you."

"Naruto-kun is right." Five pairs of stunned orbs flickered to Itachi as he at last decided to join in. "Keep your focus on your own capabilities and hone them to the best of your abilities and you will succeed, even if you don't win. You will grow stronger and learn from losses or gain from victory. Akiramenaide."

And Sasuke could no longer keep out. "Being depressed won't help in the slightest—"

"THANK YOU!" The younger Uchiha was abruptly cut off as Natsu barreled into Naruto, close to crushing bone as he held the blond tightly. The brightly beaming grin returned in full force. "You're right!"

The sullenness vaporized from Gray's features. "We won't let our near defeat put us down any longer."

"We will use this almost loss to grow stronger! To fuel our flames!" Erza declared.

Wendy smiled. "We won't come close to losing again!"

"We won't hold back and will take our competition by storm!" The fist pumping only proved how confident Lucy felt.

Naruto gave a sigh of relief as he stood, returning the embrace. "I'm glad!"

"Wait a second." The sudden statement coming from Sasuke ruined the moment as all attention went to him while he turned to face the Marvell. "You mentioned having to go up against 6 guilds before you, even though there are 8 guilds advancing to the main event." A black brow quirked. "That doesn't make sense."

Wendy shook her head at what the younger sibling said. "It does...because Team Fairy Tail has been split into two."

* * *

Translation: Akiramenaide=Do not give up

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	37. Chapter 37

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **keenpokemon2** for favoriting and following Kalos Action! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Wendy shook her head at what the younger sibling said. "It does...because Team Fairy Tail has been split into two."_

"...What?!" Blue eyes bugged beyond belief. It took several seconds to register what was said. And those blue eyes proceeded to shoot out of their owner's skull as the realization crashed onto Naruto full-force. "What are you talking about?!"

Sasuke quirked a brow. "Do you mean to say that there was infighting within Fairy Tail which caused it to split up?"

"But due to the previous camaraderie you shared, you do not view them as opposition?" Itachi finished. He may or may not have been just as confused as the other two. Who knows?

Double-take. "No! That's not what I meant!" The Marvell rapidly shook her head before facing the eldest. "You are right that a sense of camaraderie makes us not see the other five members of Fairy Tail as opponents, but we didn't split into two because we got mad at each other!"

"It's because the rules for the Grand Magic Games dictate that only five members can be in each team." Erza elaborated.

Lucy nodded. "We would have all been in the same team if we could, but we can't."

"For that reason, we split into two teams: Team Fairy Tail A and Team Fairy Tail B." Gray crossed his arms. "We're Team Fairy Tail A."

Natsu grinned. "No matter if Team Fairy Tail A or Team Fairy Tail B wins, since we're all part of the same guild, that still proves Fairy Tail to be the best guild in all of Fiore!" Hands were on his hips as a smug smile crossed his lips. "Cool, huh?"

"That's awesome!" Perplexity was kicked out of the door as amazement replaced it in a flash.

Sasuke was more than a little skeptic. "Is that even allowed?"

"It is." Three sets of eyes widened as the Scarlet's armor mysteriously vanished, replaced by a t-shirt bearing writing on it. "The rules of the Grand Magic Games are on here."

The eldest read them out-loud. "Only five members of each Guild can compete in the games. However, each Guild could have two teams enter into the tournament, and as a result, up to ten members of each Guild can compete in the games. The members of a Guild's team can be replaced by reserve members if necessary. Guild Masters cannot participate. Anyone without the Guild's insignia cannot participate. Each event will remain a secret up until right before they begin, at which point the rules will be explained. Victory is based on who can dominate across several different kinds of competition."

"...I see." The younger of the two reluctantly conceded. "I believe that must be the reason why there were so many teams at first."

But Naruto had his mind on other matters. "Whoa! How did you do that?!" He was more than a little shell-shocked by the sudden change in garments. As he had been when she did so during the prelims as well.

"My Magic is known as The Knight, which is a Caster Magic and a type of Requip and Spatial Magic." As if on cue, her armor reappeared at that very instant. "This Magic allows the user to store weapons and armors in pocket dimensions and summon them during battle, which gives the user a high level of offense, defense, flexibility, and variety in combat, regarding the type of the armor and/or weapon they Requip. This type of Requip also gives the user the ability to use, and gain resistance to, natural elements through the use of certain armors." A smug smirk crossed her lips. "I am noted for my ability to Requip extremely fast and am the only sword Mage known to be capable of Requipping weapons and armor while fighting." The smug smirk only became more smug as time wore on. "I have over 100 different armors, something which made me and my immense strength well known throughout Magnolia Town and all of Fiore, earning me the epithet 'Titania'." She held out a hand, a blade materializing seconds later. "I am capable of using my swords to perform different magical attacks and can combine different weapons and armors from different known sets."

Gray seemed to shiver in...fear? "Don't get on Erza's bad side, alright?"

"Yeah. Don't." Lethal flames flared up in her eyes. Thank goodness she dispelled her weapon though. Whew.

Wendy stepped up. "My Magic allows me to manipulate air and heal even the gravest of wounds." A pleasant breeze wafted through as she spoke, soothing all it touched. But the sudden raging gale caught the three off-guard. "However, I can also use wind to attack." No kidding. Thank goodness it was localized to such a small area or else it would have blown everything away.

"I can use Celestial Spirit Magic, a type of Spatial Magic which allows me to summon Celestial Spirits, magical beings residing in the Celestial Spirit World, using the Keys of their respective Gates!" Lucy bounded in, all smiles.

The Uzumaki gaped. "So Pyxis is a Celestial Spirit?!"

"Yep!" She giggled. "When summoning a Spirit, the Keys are enveloped in a soft, golden light." She gestured to the keychain at her side. "Once a contract has been made with a Spirit, such Spirit will be available for me to summon on certain days, in which it will fight on my side and perform several tasks for me." She sheepishly scratched the back of her neck. "My Celestial Spirits have varying levels of power, with different ones being more suited for certain tasks than others, not necessarily related to battle."

That mouth only dropped wider upon hearing the explanation. "Wow..."

"Hey! What are you guys still hanging around here for? The Grand Magic Games main event is going to start soon!" The eight glanced up as a very tall and muscular young man with teal eyes and slicked-back hair—its numerous spiky strands pointing backwards while some fell down in a small tuft on his forehead—who had a distinct lightning bolt-shaped scar on his right with both eyes having dark circles with each of them possessing a single prominent eyelash jutting outwards in addition to wearing a sleeveless black-colored muscle shirt with a turtleneck collar underneath his jacket with red pants and black shoes walked up to them.

A tall and muscular young man with long spiky black hair that was slicked back to reveal his forehead—which had a dark yellow bandanna wrapped around it—bearing red eyes with slitted dark pupils with no visible eyebrows, instead having three studs above each of his eyes in addition to two on each side of his nose and two on his chin just below his mouth with many more covering the surface of his exposed body such as the four studs on each of his forearms—with his right one being covered in scars—with his black Fairy Tail mark located on his left arm just below his shoulder as well as having canine teeth which were distinctively sharper than normal who was clad in a dark blue trench coat—whose tail reached down to his upper calves—with a green short-sleeved shirt worn underneath, pants, studded boots, gloves, belt, and wristbands joined him immediately. "Time won't stand still."

"Do you guys want to do whatever we want that badly?" A slim short young woman possessing long white hair which curled slightly at the ends with two bangs framing her face and reaching down to her chest—a short, upward ponytail obtained by gathering and tying the hair covering her forehead also present—and had large blue eyes and a curvy voluptuous lithe form with her white Fairy Tail stamp located on her left thigh who was adorned in a sleeveless ankle-length maroon dress with a pleated skirt—the chest having a large pink bow with similarly colored trimmings framing the rather ample neckline, acting as straps while circling around the waist too—plus high-heeled shoes that matched her dress and also a small chain necklace with a blue oval gem attached to it above a bracelet made of white flowers circling her right wrist taunted as she strolled in.

Erza glared at her. "We'll be the ones telling you guys what to do for a day!"

"Oh please. I'll be winning my date with Gray-sama." A slender teenage girl with blue hair that fell in thick waves past her shoulders, midnight blue eyes, snow-white skin complexion, and a curvaceous figure with her azure Fairy Tail guild stamp above her left thigh who wore a knee-high dark dress coat which was adorned with four, symmetrically placed light-colored buttons on the chest that was garnished with fur trimmings around her sleeve cuffs and neck below a matching dark Russian-style hat stylized with a light-colored butterfly clip—which in itself was attached to the fur trimming garnishing her hat—that was in turn above a light brown belt around her waist and complementing dark brown thigh-high boots stared at the mentioned—who only sweat-dropped—as she went in next.

A large muscular man with tan-colored skin whose height caused him to tower over most people with his long white hair styled upwards in long wavy spikes and didn't possess visible eyebrows yet had a stitched scar running down the right side of his face, crossing his right eye above his black Fairy Tail stamp located on the left part of his neck who was dressed in a dark blue jacket with purplish-blue inners that was held closed on the front by a line of large buttons with similar buttons on the sleeves' back and the zip located on the high collar left open with light kanjis reading 'The greatest' on the back all over a light red shirt, completed by loose pants matching his jacket held up by a simple belt and traditional Japanese geta sandals held in place by purplish-blue bands smashed a fist to his palm as he stomped his way toward the rest. "The faster we leave, the faster we can get to fighting!"

"You guys have to introduce yourselves to our new friends here first, you know!" Natsu held his hands to his hips, scowling.

And then they noticed the three strangers sitting with their companions. The first arrival grunted in acknowledgement. "Laxus Dreyar."

"Gajeel Redfox." The second smirked.

The third beamed brightly, offering a friendly wave. "Hello, my name is Mirajane Strauss! It's so nice to meet you three!"

"Don't be fooled by her." The Scarlet scoffed. "Underneath that angelic appearance is a she-demon!"

Said she-demon shot a glare at the redhead. "Why you!"

"You know I'm right!" Sparks flew between the two as they stared each other down.

The burly sighed. "Nee-san..." Shaking his head, he then turned to face the trio. "I'm her younger brother, Elfman Strauss."

"..._Younger_ brother?" Nod. Well, he could have fooled anyone with how he looks. He sure fooled Naruto.

The blunet's expression didn't change as she looked over to the triad. "Juvia Lockser. Who are you?"

"Naruto Uzumaki!" The blond beamed.

The younger sibling sighed. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Itachi Uchiha." The elder smiled. "It is nice to meet you five of Team Fairy Tail B."

The Dragneel crossed his arms. "They're here on a trip and came just in time to watch the Grand Magic Games and for us to beat you and win!"

"EH?!" Question marks floated above the flaxen's head as he turned to face the Marvell. "I thought you said they weren't competition!"

A small blush coated her cheeks. "What I meant by that is although we aren't technically competing as we are factions of the same team and Fairy Tail would be the victors no matter if Team A or Team B wins, we kinda have a little bet going in which if Team A loses, we'll have to do what Team B wants for a day and vice-versa. We won't be fighting each other though due to our sense of camaraderie and will determine who the victor is by seeing which one of us has the highest score at the end."

"...Okay." Those question marks have yet to vanish.

Wendy gave a bow. "I'm sorry for confusing you!'

"It's alright..." Said confusion had yet to wear off though.

The platnium's cackling brought him back to the real world. "I can't wait to make little miss Titania my slave for a day!"

"I can't wait to make little miss Sorcerer Magazine Model _my_ slave for a day!" The sparks solely intensified.

Juvia was trapped in a fantasy within her mind. "I can't wait to make Gray-sama mine for a day and then forever..." The Fullbuster was starting to get more than a little unsettled.

"We _are _the ones closer to winning you know, what with us scoring second place yesterday." Cue the six mouths dropping and slight widening of the Uchiha brothers.

Natsu slammed his hands on the table. "Then who's first?!"

"Team Sabertooth." Gajeel scoffed. "But it's Team Fairy Tail B who will emerge victorious!"

At that point, all arguments and daydreams had ceased as the pyro stood, proudly beating his fist to his chest. "No, it's Team Fairy Tail A who will win! We'll jump all the way from 8th to 1st place! We'll defeat all in our way and won't hold back one bit!" His teammates shared his faith, even Wendy smirking confidently.

"We'll see about that." We'll see indeed...

* * *

"The time has finally come, this year! The annual festival of magic! The Grand Magic Games!"

It was back to the bleachers for the three and back to the front lines for the eight participating teams. Screams of excitement filled the entire stadium as that announcement was made, Naruto cheering for Team Fairy Tail A with all his heart. As cool as B was, he didn't want the members of A—especially Natsu—to become slaves even for one day. He just couldn't stand to see that happen!

The humongous hologram flickered to an image of a man who had all facial features bundled together. "I'm your announcer, Chapati Lola. And council member Yajima-san has joined us as commentator. Thank you for being here, Yajima-san."

"My pleasure." An old bald man who had bushy brows and a chef's hat upon his crown stated.

An incredibly beautiful woman who had her hair elegantly styled in a high ponytail with curled locks flowing past her shoulders and was adorned in an exquisite dress showing her bust popped up. "We've invited the sparkling Miss Fiore, Jenny Realight-san of Blue Pegasus to be our guest!"

"We're gonna win this year, so look out~" She blew a kiss and winked at the cameras, stealing the hearts of many within the audience.

It was back to the emcees. "The team members have finally entered."

"Yes, thank you. I'll have a coffee."

"Yajima-san! Your microphone is still on and broadcasting!" Laughter roared from the crowd at that.

Anyways... "First off is the preliminary round's 8th place. Will they be able to reclaim their past glory?"

"HECK YEAH THEY WILL!" Once again, Sasuke was forced to cover his ears or risk his eardrums bursting. But he didn't want to waste any more breath vainly telling the Uzumaki to stop.

The five came in, the Dragneel in the lead with fist waving in the air. "Contrary to their name, they're the wild, rowdy Fairy Tail!"

"BOO!"

"BOO!"

"BOO!"

"BOO!"

"BOO!"

Naruto was as shocked as Natsu was at the heckling. "AGH!" Both. Cried. Out. At. The. Exact. Same. Time.

"They're booing us?" Gray sneered.

Chapati came back on. "Even though they've gotten last place every single year, Fairy Tail managed to claw their way through the preliminaries. Though of course, they made it in eighth place."

"Last place every single year?!" The Uzumaki echoed, completely confused.

Sasuke tched. "They must have lied about being the best of the best then."

"Fairy Tail is bigger than just Team A you know." Itachi pointed out.

Naruto glared at the younger of the two. "Lie?!"

"If they're really the best of the best, why have they placed last every single past year?" He shrugged. "Everyone says they are or what they have is the best. There's a term for it: cheap talk. It's an actual term."

The blond clenched a fist. "They aren't lying! Natsu wouldn't lie like that!" Nails dug into his palm. "Even if they placed last, they still could have done incredible things most would not be able to overcome! This tournament isn't the only way to determine the best of the best!"

Yajima's voice cut their argument off. "With the return of 'Team Tenrou' who have been causing trouble all over the place...can they possibly become the top of Fiore?!" He gave a thumbs up. "I'm glad to see you all...congratulations, Fairy Tail." Was he being sincere? Or sardonic?

"Keep your cool, Lucy." Judging by the Heartfilia's reaction, it was the latter. Yep. How rude.

Naruto himself was close to bursting out in anger. "HEY—"

"HOORAY! HOORAY! FAIRY TAIL!" The sudden cheering amidst the booing snapped the five's and three's attention to a bunch of people who had just appeared. They held up a banner reading 'FAIRY TAIL VICTORY' and were throwing confetti all over the place.

But something else caught the pentad's attention. Natsu narrowed his eyes at the source. "What's that?"

"Hmm?" Gray focused on it as well.

Lucy gasped. "NO WAY?!"

"Is that—" The Marvell did so as well.

Erza gaped. "Could that be..."

"...You came to cheer us on?" Huh? It was as though the three couldn't see who had arrived nor could hear their voice. Maybe only members of Fairy Tail could hear them? "Err...that's not what I was worried about." Sure seems like it.

Natsu laughed. "Having the first Master here looking over us is reassuring!"

"Even as a spirit." The Fullbuster muttered. Yep. No one else but Fairy Tail could see them alright.

And it was back to the announcers once more. "Next up...Is 7th place in the preliminaries...The Hounds of Hell's Army, Quatro Cerberus!"

"WILD!"

"OOOOOHHHH!"

"LET'S TAKE THIS THING OVER, THIS YEAR, BOYS!" All five members of that team were dressed as punks, fitting of their epithet.

Five women then came in, two scantily clad as one wore a jumpsuit while another wore an outfit fit for a parade as yet another was dressed in a suit that was reminiscent of webs. "Coming in sixth place, we have the all-female guild. The Dancers of the Deep Blue Seas, Mermaid Heel!" Several guys within the vicinity were infatuated on the spot.

"Fifth place is The Azure Wings That Sparkle in the Darkness, Blue Pegasus!" Five guys—one dressed in a bunny suit—went in, arms crossed and fingers out as girls all over the stadium squealed their names.

And Miss Fiore winked once again. "Everyone, do your best!"

"Fourth place...The Goddess of Love and War's Sacred Destroyers...Lamia Scale!" Several oriental-clad and mismatched folk entered the fray.

An old woman in the bleachers screamed her lungs out. "WHY WERE YOU 4TH IN THE PRELIMINARIES?! ARE YOU IDIOTS EVEN TRYING?!"

"Sorry grandma..." Within the team, a cute little girl who had her hair in pigtails and wore a blouse in addition to a skirt apologized. "It was because I'm so clumsy—KYAAAAH!" As if to prove a point, she tripped over nothing.

A guy bearing spiky hair berated his teammate. "Geez...Sherria..."

"Sorry Lyon." She sheepishly smiled.

A grand flag was raised, cutting them off. "Moving on, coming in third place we have...now this is quite a surprise, in third place we have a first-time competing guild!" Several folk who belonged in a children's nightmare stepped forth. "The Midnight Raiders, Raven Tail!"

"RAVEN TAIL?!" Gasps rang out. Eyes bugged wide. A ruckus ensued.

Chapati spoke up. "Well, according to our official information, Raven Tail existed over 7 years ago. But had only been approved as an official guild recently."

"If they've been approved by the Magic Council, that means they're not a Dark Guild, right?" Yajima questioned.

Naruto gulped. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"Here we go!" Moving on I guess. "The team who came in 2nd place in the preliminaries...well, now...this is definitely unexpected!" Everyone—sans the three and five—tensed up. "Could the flapping of their fallen wings really carry them all the way here?! It's the least expected...the unbelievable..." If they hadn't been told beforehand, the three would have been shell-shocked. If the five didn't know this arrangement, they would have been blown away. "Team Fairy Tail B!"

Thank goodness the eight knew about this beforehand...or else their eyes and mouths would have joined the countless pairs cannoning into oblivion and jaws dropping to the bottom of the universe. Thank goodness indeed.

* * *

Translation: Nee-san=Older sister

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	38. Chapter 38

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Wais** for commenting in the first chapter! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

...Okay **Wais**. Creepy chain letter is creepy. By the way, I deleted it. O_O

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_Thank goodness the eight knew about this beforehand...or else their eyes and mouths would have joined the countless pairs cannoning into oblivion and jaws dropping to the bottom of the universe. Thank goodness indeed.__  
_

"Why does Fairy Tail get to have two teams?!"

"What's going on here?!"

As you can see, the ruckus had yet to die down. Until Chapati came back on yet again. "Well, it seems as though there's a lot of people still confused over the revisions to the rules this year, don't you think Yajima-san?"

"That's right...this year, each guild can have not just one, but two teams enter into the tournament." The addressed answered.

Sasuke scoffed. "Does anyone read the rules anymore?"

"But in this tournament, each team has the possibility of being matched up against every other team...will members of the same guild be capable of fighting themselves?" The younger of the announcers demanded.

Naruto gaped. "Then both Fairy Tail teams would be forced to fight after all?!"

"Not necessarily." The Uzumaki swiveled to face Itachi as he spoke. "If two teams are selected to fight each other for the first round, the chances of Fairy Tail A or B being drawn from the eight teams is 1/4. The chances of the remaining Fairy Tail team being chosen then is lowered to 1/7. Multiply those two probabilities together, and you get 1/28, or 3.571%, a low chance." He shrugged. "If each subsequent match is kept as one-on-one, the probabilities will rise to 1/21 or 4.762%, 1/15 or 6.667%, 1/10 or 10%, 1/6 or 16.667%, 1/3 or 33.333%, and then 100% respectively. There is also the possibility that one of the Fairy Tail teams will be eliminated before they can fight each other. And if they so happen to be chosen to fight each other regardless, if they still choose to not fight due to their sense of camaraderie, they can always make the match last as short as possible and make it appear they did harm only to not have. Of course, if the event styles are not the same every round, they could still do that, only the probabilities will change for the most part."

Sasuke sighed. "That's nii-san for you."

"They'll be fine." The previously addressed's voice brought the three's attention back to the emcees.

Miss Fiore put her own word in. "But...that seems kind of unfair, doesn't it? Like...what if the competition has each time send out 1 member at a time for a battle royale...then Fairy Tail would be the only guild to have 2 members in the ring at once, right?"

"Of the over 100 guilds that entered, Fairy Tail is the only one that still has 2 teams in the running...this is their advantage they've earned, don't you think?" Oh, and Chapati decides to be nice _now?!_

Yajima slurped up noodles as he gave his reply. "It's definitely in their favor, Maa-boy."

"Maa-boy?!" Where did that nickname come from?!

But Naruto was more concerned with other matters. "Aww man! I wish I had some ramen right now!"

"Even after those twenty huge bowls this morning?!" Sasuke's nightmares are here to stay.

However, it's time to move on. "Now, for the last team that made it through the preliminary round...that's right! You all know who they are! The Strongest! The Invincible! The Complete Dominators! Sabertooth!" The entire stadium immediately burst into the loudest, the wildest, the most uncontrollable cheers they had throughout the entire event so far as five majestic figures strolled to the arena like they owned the place.

"Here they come..." The pyro glared.

A handsome man who possessed slicked-back hair and a confident smirk wagged his finger at the Dragneel. "Looking forward to you, Natsu-san."

"Don't wave that finger at me, you bastard." The Redfox growled.

A fancily-dressed slender raven man sneered. "Gajeel."

"Over there..." Gray glanced at the arrivals. "That's Fiore's strongest guild."

Once again, back to the commentators. "That makes up all the teams that will be participating. Looking at the lineup, do you have any thoughts?"

"Ah, to be young again." The geezer gave a dreamy sigh.

Sweat-drop. "Errr...that isn't exactly what I meant..." Attention shifted as a tablet suddenly crashed from above. "Thank you for waiting, here is your lineup!"

There appeared to be five separate rounds in all with the first reading 'hidden+battle' and the subsequent pair '? ? ?+battle' followed by '? ? ?+tag battle' and just '? ? ? ? ? ?'. "The Grand Magic Games's program has been unveiled!"

"That much in just one day?!" Lucy gasped.

As if on cue, the announcer spoke once more. "Thanks to our special recuperation rooms and the top-of-the-line healers there, every team will be able to recharge and recover after each event! Of course, you have to be in the rooms themselves to receive their benefits which stop working as soon as you leave the rooms or anything that belongs in the rooms is taken out. And you won't be able to bribe our healers. And you won't have access to those rooms during unauthorized times."

"How elaborate." If it had been anyone else, the look on Sasuke's face would be that of admiration.

And yet another tablet crashed down. "As far as the matches go, this is how the points will be distributed amongst first through eighth place." 1st had 10 points, 2nd had 8 points, 3rd had 6 points, 4th had 4 points, 5th had 3 points, 6th had 2 points, 7th had 1 point, and 8th had 0. "As the rankings fall, the amount of points received decreases. For the contest part, you can select anyone from your guild to participate. For the battling part, the organizers will pair up cards selected from the fans' votes."

"What the?" Erza grumbled.

Gray grunted. "They're going to match us up on their own?"

"So if you have bad luck, you could use up all your magic power in the contest part and end up being selected to battle?" Lucy muttered.

Chapati continued. "The battle rules are simple. Each team will battle, like so. The winning team will receive 10 points. The losing team will receive none. If it's a draw, each team will receive 5 points." He cleared this throat. "Without further ado, I bring you the Grand Magic Games's opening game! Let's begin 'Hidden'! Each team will have 1 participant. After each team submits their player, I'll explain the rules."

"I'll go first! Leave this to me!" Quatro Cerberus had selected Jäger to go.

One of his teammates cheered him on. "Don't forget! Your soul is always...WILD, HO!"

"I think I should go first, if you don't mind..." Mermaid Heel had chosen Beth.

Her friend smiled. "I'll permit it."

"You're up, Nullpudding." Raven Tail declared its submission.

The addressed smirked. "Gotcha~"

"I got this." And Eve was Blue Pegasus's choice.

His companions were more than eager, cheering him on. "Eve-kun! Number 1!"

"One after another, each team is deciding on their player. Who will Sabertooth choose?" Chapati cut in.

A guy wearing a mask over his eyes below a fancy hat spoke up. "I'll go. The birds are singing a sweet song today."

"They've chosen! The Singing Bard of the Red Moon!" At that moment, the fedora was thrown up. "Rufus has entered!"

Natsu sneered. "Why the hell is everyone cheering like crazy over that jerk?"

"As a man, let me take point for the team!" Elfman shouted from Team B.

Gajeel scoffed. "There's not a thing about you that feels 'hidden', Meatball."

"We don't know anything about the rules of the game, but judging from the name 'Hidden', it's going to involve stealth." Erza mused.

Lucy nodded. "Wendy should go since she's so small."

"I'll go then!" The Marvell declared. "I will try my best for the team!" It's official now.

Meanwhile, Lamia Scale was making its own plans. Sherria beamed. "If small is better, then maybe Yuuka or I should go?"

"Don't call me small." The mentioned barked.

The burly member smirked. "OOOON."

"No..." Lyon muttered, a smug smile gracing his lips. "We should grab this from the very start. I'll go." And so it shall be.

And it looks like Team B made their choice. "I've got to show how strong I am to Gray-sama!"

"Juvia..." The Fullbuster only sweat-dropped at that.

At that moment, Mato appeared. "Will each team's participant for 'Hidden' please come forward?"

"Looks like it's time for me to go." The Marvell gulped.

The Heartfilia grinned. "Do your best!"

"Don't you dare lose!" Natsu screeched. "Especially to Gajeel's team! Or Sabertooth...or Raven Tail...or..." The list goes on and on.

And once again, it's back to Chapati. "We're finally ready to begin. I wonder what kind of contest Hidden will be? Yajima-san, is there anyone we should be looking out for?"

"Hmm...well, we all know Rufus-kun is a force to be reckoned with here..." He smiled. "But I'm gonna be keeping an eye on Wendy-chan."

It's to Miss Fiore now. "What about you Jenny-san?"

"I'm all for Eve-kun, he's so strong." That, and they're in the same guild.

The Lockser went up to Gray. "I've gotta tell you I'm sorry, but I don't have any intent to lose here."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." He smirked. "But don't underestimate Wendy."

A chuckling brought both of their attention to Lyon as he approached them. "Sorry, but I'm gonna be going full force, as well. For Juvia!" Well, it seems the fangirl has a fanboy of her own.

"Ignore him...or you'll catch his stupidity." What a nice thing to say. But then the Fullbuster turned to the host. "By the way, this has been bothering me since the preliminaries...what the heck _are _you?"

"Exactly what I look like! I'm a pumpkin!" An anthropomorphic pumpkin?!

The questioner sweat-dropped. "Huh? Was there something wrong with me asking?"

"Good work on your character design." Eve and Beth gave respectful bows to the disguised.

The lauded laughed. "Non, non, I had a lot of fun doing it, so it was no problem. Pumpkii~"

"Don't start overdoing your character, now." Tick marks pulsated on Gray's temples.

Nullpudding barged in. "We still haven't been informed about what kind of contests we're going to be taking part in. In fact...all of the contests are being kept secret...but regardless of what they might be, having two guildmates competing, Fairy Tail has a huge advantage, right?"

"What?" Again with this?

Mato gazed off into space. "That's just how it goes. The fact that two teams from the same guild made it all the way to the finals is nothing short of amazing. P...Pumpkii..." He nodded. "I'm fine with it."

"A little tune from the banks of my memory." Rufus smirked. "I guarantee that having two of you competing...ultimately will not be what'd you call advantageous."

Jäger grunted. "It makes no difference to me."

"I think it's okay, too." Beth agreed.

Nullpudding snarled. "Keh."

"Impressive. So there's something behind this royal price routine." Wendy muttered.

The addressed chuckled. "Your comrades can also become your weakness. Taking hostages, targets to threaten, interrogating for information...there's countless other ways your enemy can use them to create an advantageous situation. You should remember that."

"What a guy!" Naruto gasped.

Sasuke gave a nod. "He makes some pretty good points."

"We'll see how everything plays out..." As cryptic as always, Itachi.

The Marvell gulped. "Is that so?"

"Field open! P...Pumpkii!" All attention snapped to the structure materializing from thin air brick by brick.

Wendy gasped. "What is that?!"

"Huh?" Juvia was just as stunned.

The structure only became more and more complex as it continued to manifest. "A city?!" Lucy shrieked.

"It's huge." Erza couldn't help but comment.

Natsu's jaw dropped to the floor. "INCREDIBLE!"

"What the heck is going on?!" Gray exclaimed. Cheers of shock and awe erupted from the audience and the competitors alike. It's not every day a miniature metropolis pops up after all.

At last the municipality was finished. "Juvia?! Lyon?!" Fear crept into the Marvell. "Where's everyone else?!"

"They've all vanished." The Lockser muttered from elsewhere.

Eve smiled. "Are we playing hide-and-seek here?"

"UWAAAH...where should I hide?!" Panic took hold of Beth.

Nullpudding was less than intimidated though. "Hmmph."

"This is weird..." Jäger grumbled. "How are we going to play hide-and-seek like this..." He scanned his surroundings. "After all, nobody's 'it'." Good point.

Chapati glanced up at the humongous hologram. "Everyone in the stadium, you can keep track of everything happening inside the city with our Lacrima-Vision."

"So that's what it's called, huh?" The elder Uchiha uttered.

Pictures of each of the eight currently out there's faces flashed across the screen. "The 8 participating competitors don't know the whereabouts of each other. The rules of Hidden are simple. All of you will be 'it' and will be looking for each other mutually."

"What did he say?" The Dragneel muttered.

The explanation had yet to finish. "Find each other inside that city. You're free to use any Magic you like, you just need to land one hit. If contact is made, a point is added to the attacker and taken from the victim. Damage doesn't matter."

"What's happening?!" Wendy cried out. Figures began to flicker all around her and each other participant within. "What's going on here?!" Duplicates of all eight—including the originals themselves—surrounded each of them. Wow was that confusing.

Lucy gasped. "They've got all their faces!"

"UGHP!" Sweat drenched Natsu's—and Naruto's—brows.

Gray glanced at the pyro, concerned. "Is it making your head spin?" The answer would be...yes. For both the Dragneel and the Uzumaki. Poor them.

"This is going to be tough." The Scarlet grunted.

Not all of the rules have been announced yet. "These are all copies of you." No duh. "If you attack a copy by mistake...you will lose a point."

Jäger was as happy as before...meaning he wasn't happy _at all_. "Damn...hidden or not...how the heck are you supposed to find your opponents in this?"

"J...Juvia! So many Juvia!" Lyon was more than a little lovestruck. At least someone was happy with this arrangement. Hearts were in his eyes. "With this many of her...it should be fine if I take just one for myself...JUVIA!" He glomped one from behind. The jubilance was instantly replaced by shock as eyes bugged, the clone vanishing in an instant. "AHHH!"

Lyon -1. "Look at this, Lyon has attacked a copy and lost one point."

"I bet if I was in there, Juvia would have went after one of my copies and been the one to lose that point." Gray was definitely freaking out beneath that calm exterior.

Yuuka sighed. "What the heck is that guy doing?!"

"To handle this, we will wait 10 seconds, after which we will restart the same in a different area." Chapati announced to all. "If this happens to any other Mages, we will do the same...deduct 1 point, wait 10 seconds, and restart in a different area."

Sherria giggled. "This is probably not going to be easy for Lyon."

"As long as time is left on the clock, the game can be repeated as many times as needed." At that moment, a timer appeared beneath the screen. "The time limit is 30 minutes, the team with the most points wins!"

Mato laughed. "The real challenge isn't hiding...it's figuring out a way to find!"

"That's not fair!" Naruto screamed.

Sasuke snorted. "There isn't anything unfair about this."

"A clever play on words was enacted." Itachi smirked. "Everyone is hidden from everyone else and the key is to find the real participants."

Wendy had been scanning the crowd around her for any possible discrepancies only for a sudden voice to stop her short. "Well, well, well, well...now, if only you grasped the rules a little bit earlier, hmm?"

"Who's there?!" The Marvell cried out.

The addressed smirked. "Raven Tail's Nullpudding." A cackling rang out. "Well, it looks like you got me here...heeheehee." What creepy laughter.

"And saved me the trouble of finding you!" Steeling her resolve, Wendy gathered a gale around her, leaping into the air. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" However, the target had vanished the moment the blade of wind had sliced though him. "WHAT?!"

That ominous laughter echoed off of the walls once again. "Too bad it was a copy, hmm?" Wendy had lost one point.

"Wha...THE REAL ONE WAS BEHIND HIM?!" All of Team A's jaws dropped the moment Naruto's did the same.

But that wasn't all. "KYAAAH!" Wendy was struck from behind, flying into the ground. "ITAI! He got me!"

* * *

Translation: Nii-san=Older brother, Itai=Ouch

How was it?

**Please review! I really apprecinate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	39. Chapter 39

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **Cute Koneko Chan** for favoriting Skater Shadowing and Waltzing In as well as **FandomSpawn** for commenting on in addition to favoriting Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

THANK YOU SO MUCH **FandomSpawn**! YOU HAVE MADE MY ENTIRE WEEK SO MUCH BETTER! *BIG BANG!*

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_But that wasn't all. "KYAAAH!" Wendy was struck from behind, flying into the ground. "ITAI! He got me!"_

"Wendy has lost one point and Nullpudding has gained one point!" Uh oh. Not good. Not good _at all_.

Realization dawned on Gray. "I get it! That's what he did! He carefully maneuvered with one of his copies close to his opponent!"

"How sneaky of him!" Natsu snarled.

Erza scratched her chin. "A plan like his is definitely an option...but as long as the opponent can be identified, Wendy can score on them with a surprise attack."

"And as long as Wendy acts exactly like a copy, they won't be able to identify her." Lucy mused. "So, this is Hidden." The Marvell herself had picked up on the strategy, acting like every other duplicate there was around her. A look of unease crossed the Heartfilia's face. "Everyone has blended into the crowd."

Even more sweat drenched the Dragneel's brow. "How are they supposed to find anybody like this?!"

"I'm so glad I didn't go..." Elfman muttered from at Team B. "This would have been impossible for me."

The Scarlet stared on. "All it takes is one mistake to give yourself away to your opponent."

"Which one is the enemy? Which one is real?" Wendy was starting to get worried.

And she should be. "FOUND YOU!" Once again she was stricken from behind by none other than Nullpudding.

"WENDY!" The scream tore out from Natsu's throat.

The redhead paled. "How'd he know?!"

"You went for me again?!" And once again, she lost one point while he gained another.

A sadistic smirk distorted those demonic features. "What's wrong with that, hmm?"

"The first game continues in the completely silent battlefield. Hidden!" Chapati announced with the zeal an emcee displays. "Right off the bat, Raven Tail's Nullpudding has taken the lead! In this field filled with copies of their enemies and themselves...how are they to find out which are their real opponents?!"

Yajima spoke. "There's plenty of methods available...for example, they could sense their enemy's magical presence."

"Hmph." Miss Fiore smirked. "I'm sure Eve-kun will think of a much more incredible way..."

Erza scowled. "Besides...as far as sensing the enemy's magical presence, there's plenty of ways to go about it...but identifying them specifically is no easy task."

"Raven Tail." The blonde glared.

Back in the city, Wendy had been wandering about only for the street in front of her to suddenly tremble. "Carrot Missile!"

"Whoa!" The Marvell jumped back, dodging each projectile. Thank goodness.

The caster stared wide-eyed. "Huh...it missed—KYAAAAAAH!"

"What the?!" A thorny plant had abruptly erupted from the ground, striking Beth, causing her to lose a point.

Jäger smirked as he had gained a point. "HAHAAA! I saw you using Magic—NGROAAA!"

"I saw it, too." And the Lockser proceeded to steal that point.

The Marvell gasped. "Juvia."

"Found you, Wendy." The addressed gave a smug smile.

But that smug smile did not last for very long. "JUVIA!"

"KYAAAH!" And her point was then stolen by Lyon as he smashed into her. Both had 0 points total now.

The Lockser struggled to pick herself up, pointedly ignoring help so as to not lose any more points. "I'm going to defeat you so I can make Gray-sama mine!"

"Juvia..." The Fullbuster was _really _starting to freak out now.

But their talk wouldn't last for long. "HIHIHI...CAUGHT YOU FAIRIES!" Once again, Nullpudding came out of nowhere, this time striking both members of Fairy Tail, simultaneously causing them to lose a point each as he gained two points.

"He got Wendy again?!" The Heartfilia screeched.

The Scarlet tched. "That jerk."

"What's going on with him?!" The Marvell shrieked.

However, the sudden snowfall ceased the cries. "What do we have here?! Snow's falling in the town?!"

"Eve-kun..." Jenny smirked.

The mentioned snarled as he picked himself up. "PSHH...does he think we Mages will get weak in the cold or something—I see..." Realization dawned on him. "THERE!" He lashed out, striking Beth, Jäger, and Nullpudding in one fell swoop, grabbing three points as they suffered losses.

"Eve has just snatched up point after point!" Now he's in the lead. "But it looks like Lyon has launched his counterattack!"

The guy smirked. "Too bad for you, cold doesn't work on me!"

"I figured!" The wink only reinforced just how confident he was.

Meanwhile, as those two fought, the rest had sneaked away. Including Wendy. "A Wingbeat of Sky Dragon, Fast." That quietest of whispers was hardly picked up by the high-tech microphones beside the cameras, let alone by the average human ear. The sudden heating of the atmosphere made her breath vanish, making her herself seem to disappear amidst the duplicates as Nullpudding—who had been following her once again like a scary stalker—was revealed through his perspiration. Thank goodness Wendy didn't reveal herself as she had made the air around her cooler than the rest. With that, she now had the advantage, especially since thanks to her Magic, no snow could enter due to the raging hemispherical gale swirling above. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Before the creep could react, the Marvell flash-stepped past him, swiping at him, stealing a point from him this time around. Sweet, sweet revenge.

"Whoa!" Naruto just could not believe what he had seen. "How did Wendy do that?!"

Who else but Itachi to answer? "'A Wingbeat of Sky Dragon, Fast' must cause the atoms in air to speed up as her Magic gives them energy, causing her surroundings to heat up, making her previously visible breath vanish. However, since only Nullpudding ended up sweating, Wendy must have control over which air particles she gives energy to and how much, making herself cooler than everything else caught within her spell. Her other wind powers must be holding up the snow so it doesn't fall and give her away." A genuine smile graced his lips. "That's clever; she can disguise herself within the duplicates while her opponents will be exposed as sweating is an automatic reaction that cannot be ceased consciously while keeping herself cool enough to not reveal herself. Also, since Wendy was so quiet, no one can hear her casting her spell nor do they know where it comes from." He gave a nod. "That's a great way to use your element to your advantage." At that moment, the captured snow was gently released, piling onto the ground and buildings below as it would have if there was no interference. "And now, she has hidden her tracks. She really is clever." For Itachi the genius to say that is a _huge _compliment.

"Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang! Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang! Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang! Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Sweet, sweet revenge indeed; time and time again the Marvell was the one this time around to track down Nullpudding without allowing him another chance to hit her, stealing four points from him in rapid succession. She finally had a positive amount of points while he had a negative. Definitely sweet, sweet revenge.

But not all of the participants had been active. "Rufus of Sabertooth hasn't moved at all...he isn't catching anyone, but he's not been caught by anyone either—"

"This challenge is far too simple." Spoke too soon.

A collective gasp rang out across the entire stadium. "Th...That's?!"

"I remember perfectly..." Rufus smirked from his perch atop a church. "The nuances of your movements...your footsteps...your magical presences' signature..."

A scream tore out from Lucy's throat. "What is he doing up there?!"

"Wendy! Above you! It's like he's saying 'I've found all of you'!" Natsu's warning was too little, too late.

That smug smirk only widened. "I remember...I remember it all..." Two fingers were pointed to each of his temples. "Memory-Make..."

"Creation Magic?!" Erza was in a state of disbelief.

There was nothing anyone could do to stop it—and they knew it. "Into a Night of Falling Stars!" Blinding beams of brilliance launched from their caster, striking all...except one.

"HIHIHI...you're sticking out like a sore thumb!" Nullpudding had somehow managed to dodge, leaping towards Rufus. Too bad he missed. Or more like he struck an afterimage. "Crap! A copy?!"

A snicker sounded from behind. "That was a memory of me standing there. I have no need for decoys." And the creep was stricken, knocked from the chapel. And he was blasted for good measure.

"He...He got them all!" Wild cheers thundered across the audience. "In one instant, he took the lead! That's the power of Rufus! That's the power of Sabertooth!" Alright, alright, we can clearly hear your bias.

Yet all of his fellow competitors were nothing short of shell-shocked. The victor sneered. "The challenge isn't interesting at all, organizers. So I have no need to hide whatsoever."

"P...Pumpkii..." Mato was frozen on the spot.

He continued, pompous as ever. "Even if I were to be found, I wouldn't be able to be hit...what's left of me there is just a memory, after all..."

"The Ultimate Royalty of Fiore wasn't just an act..." Lucy gulped.

Gray growled. "Creation Magic?!"

"I've heard rumors of it...but I see it really is fearsome..." Lyon trailed.

Nullpudding growled. "He's not even playing by the rules of Hidden...that bastard is toying with us—"

"Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" But Wendy had the last laugh as she launched a sneak attack on the creep, stealing yet another point from him before he could go after her again once more. Good game. Or better game, as the Marvell at least had foiled that demon's schemes.

The timer finally ran out. "And that's the end of it!" In the end, Wendy had scored 1 point, Nullpudding had scored -4 points, Lyon had scored -1 points, Juvia had scored -2 points, Eve had scored 2 points, Beth had scored -3 points, Jäger had scored -2 points, and Rufus had scored 8 points. "These are the standings!" Sabertooth was 1st and earned 10 points, Blue Pegasus was 2nd and earned 8 points, Team Fairy Tail A was 3rd and earned 6 points, Lamia Scale was 4th and earned 4 points, Team Fairy Tail B and Quatro Cerberus tied at 5th place and earned 3 points each, Mermaid Heel was 6th and earned 2 points, and Raven Tail was 7th and earned one point. "This is just the first event, so these rankings can still change at any time."

"What the hell are you doing Lyon?!" The crabby grandma screeched.

The people beside her thought so as well. "Calm down granny!"

"Looks like it's over already." A member of Blue Pegasus sighed.

His teammate smiled. "Yep."

"This is no good." The woman dressed in a web suit from Mermaid Heel frowned.

Her companion beamed regardless. "DAHAHAHAH...Beth did the best she could."

"Just as we all expected, first place goes to Sabertooth! An amazing performance!" Rufus bowed before the wildly cheering audience.

But those cheers quickly turned to jeers. "It's a miracle Fairy Tail A was 3rd...but their luck will run out very soon! Their hopes will be dashed, you'll see!" What a terrible, terrible announcer.

"Those Fairy Tail guys are weak!"

"They'll be falling to last very soon!"

"Face it, your time is over, Fairy Tail!"

How horrid. How horrid! HOW HORRID! "WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY, YOU BAGS OF SH—"

"UWAAH...HE SNAPPED!"

"HOW SCAAAARY~HYAHAHAHAH!"

"LOOK AT HIM WHINING—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

And those screams of mockery instantly transformed into screams of absolute terror as day became night, a gale making even the mind-blowing speeds of the most powerful of F5 tornadoes look like a gentle breeze blasting through. An innumerable number of dragons flooding from a gigantic grandeur gate in the sky literally blocked out all light as winds whipped by humongous wings tore everything in their way apart. If the Domus Flau hadn't been the most state-of-the-art of the most state-of-the-art buildings in all of Fiore, it would have been demolished instantly. It was only cracking apart as the force field generated from it protecting itself and all of Fiore disintegrated by the second.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Now nobody in the entire vicinity was making fun of Fairy Tail as the Mages stood their ground, the civilians all running for their lives...except for a certain three who rushed toward the five. "What's happening?!" Naruto shrilled. This was all too sudden.

"No. No! NO! NOO!" Amidst the chaos, nobody had noticed the hooded figure dressed in an elegant cloak entering the arena, nor had anyone noticed said figure collapsing onto the ground, tears staining the soil...until now. "THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN SO SOON!"

That voice was familiar. Lucy gasped. "Who are you and why do you sound like me?!"

"It's because I _am _you!" The hood was thrown off, revealing a face that looked just like the blonde's only that it was a bit older and far more miserable. "I am the Lucy Heartfilia from the future!"

Gasps rang out across all of Fairy Tail and the three visitors. "But how—"

"Move out of the way, blondies." A scarlet not-so-sane-looking woman who wore a very revealing dress shoved past the pair, bursting into maniacal laughter that made Shuji Ikutsuki look not crazy. _Shuji Ikutsuki_. "This won't be enough to scare Flare Corona!" Her locks untied themselves from their braids, elongating towards the approaching reptiles. "Hair Shower: Wolf Fang!" The strands morphed into a fairly-realistic army of wolves, the pack rushing towards the drakes. Sadly, said drakes went on to chomp the canines to bits and pieces. The term 'bad-hair day' has never been taken so far before.

Rufus took over, charging his own powers. "Memory-Make: Into a Night of Falling Stars!" But before the lightning could strike, it vanished into thin air. "WHAT?!" And everyone else's attempts at Magic proceeded to fail on the spot.

"The Eclipse Gate is draining everyone's Magic!" Future Lucy screamed. "Using Magic right now is futile!"

Wendy stepped up. "My Body Anomaly Reversal Magic, Raise should be able to help!" All eyes turned to the Marvell. This is not the time for petty insults. Thank goodness none were made.

"We should get to the recuperation rooms as fast as possible!" Erza exclaimed.

Gray growled. "But can we go inside—"

"I'll authorize everyone to enter! Follow me!" Nobody dared to refute Mato's instruction as they rushed to the rooms, all teams right behind him.

On the way there, Natsu approached the future version of his friend. "Tell us what's going on!"

"I used an Eclipse Gate to travel back in time to warn you all of this very disaster, but it wasn't supposed to happen until the Grand Magic Games ended!" The inquired shrieked.

Her present counterpart proceeded to shriek too. "You mean the end of today?!" The nod only had her shriek even louder.

"Another Eclipse Gate was created in your timeline and is the one unleashing the dragons on Fiore!" She wept. "But it opened earlier than it was supposed to!"

Mato spoke. "Hmm...the fact that so many possibly apocalyptic events had occurred all within such a short amount of time from places surrounding Fiore must have allowed the Eclipse Gate to open much faster! The tremendous amount of negative energy generated from such events would give it all the power it needs!"

"But how did they bypass the need for the 12 Ecliptic Zodiac Keys?!" Future Lucy demanded.

Something occurred to Itachi. "An event involving the twelve Full Moon Shadows and Nyx, the incarnation of the moon, happened only a short while ago. The moon is involved in eclipses. Even if both this and that seem to be unrelated, it with many other events that happened weeks past might have triggered—"

"Our battle against Team Flare in which they tried to take over the world and remake it in their own image, us going against the Dark Hour with us inadvertently summoning Nyx upon defeating the twelve Full Moon Shadows who almost ended all life with The Fall, us using The Crystals...a reality-shattering force...to fight Chaos and his Feral form plus his henchmen." Realization had dawned on Sasuke. And not a good one at that. "Is this our fault?! Did we prematurely cause the destruction of Fiore and possibly all of Earth?!"

* * *

Translation: Itai=Ouch

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


	40. Chapter 40

Hello readers! I would like to thank **Sefirosa**—after **yukino76**—for reviewing the previous chapter plus **BlackNoblesse **and **Kitsunes-Chan** for favoriting in addition to following Skater Shadowing as well as **Can't Write** for commenting on the finale of Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità along with **MasterYaoiCollector** for favoriting before following Shinobi no Pokémon not forgetting **kitsune no alex** for favoriting Skater Shadowing anterior to Waltzing In sans leaving out **Arthur Kirkland's Scones** for evaluating prior to favoriting then following Waltzing In! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it!

Thanks **yukino76**! (:

I appreciate it regardless **Can't Write**! ^_^

THANK YOU SO MUCH **Arthur Kirkland's Scones**! *BIG BANG!*

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Naruto or Fairy Tail. They belong to their respective owners. I only own this and every other story I have.

* * *

_"Our battle against Team Flare in which they tried to take over the world and remake it in their own image, us going against the Dark Hour with us inadvertently summoning Nyx upon defeating the twelve Full Moon Shadows who almost ended all life with The Fall, us using The Crystals...a reality-shattering force...to fight Chaos and his Feral form plus his henchmen." Realization had dawned on Sasuke. And not a good one at that. "Is this our fault?! Did we prematurely cause the destruction of Fiore and possibly all of Earth?!"__  
_

Only the raging whirlwinds and roars of the descending dragons in addition to the screaming of the civilians still trying to flee could be heard as everyone present fell silent. If not for the aforementioned causes of noise, a pin would be able to be heard dropping from miles away. The shock of it all had the group's feet glued to the ground, the advance to the recuperation rooms halted for the time being.

"So you three were involved in those apocalyptic events?!" The nods Mato received had his mouth dropping down to the ground.

Nullpudding's snarl ripped out a shriek from Naruto's throat as he barely evaded the demon's arm. Even if it couldn't become a Morningstar at the moment, that didn't make it any less dangerous. "So you're responsible for the world ending right now?!" The fiend charged at the Uzumaki who had joined the Uchiha brothers. "Why I oughta—"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Natsu bounded over, holding his arms out protectively. "I WON'T LET YOU HURT MY NEW FRIENDS!"

Flare sneered. "If anything, you should be the first one to be beating up these meddlers. They've caused the end of the world and tricked you into letting your guard down—"

"YOU'RE LYING!" And Lucy had joined the Dragneel in defending the three. "Just because they were involved, that doesn't mean they're responsible!"

Her future self stepped in as well. "The Eclipse Gate the dragons are flooding from would have opened at the end of the day today anyways from all the Magic released during the Grand Magic Games. It only opened earlier than it was supposed to."

"We could have used that time to prepare if we had been warned in advance of this catastrophe." Rufus scoffed. "Therefore, we're at a massive disadvantage thanks to what these outsiders did."

Gray's growling caught everyone's attention. "Are you ignoring the fact that we might not even have had the chance to fight these dragons if it weren't for what Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi did?!"

"The world could have ended three times over even before today!" Wendy cried.

Erza nodded. "Or at the very least, we would have had to help get rid of those threats. If anything, we should be thanking them."

"Gray-sama is right!" The Lockser declared. "The world would or could have already ended beforehand!"

Where she goes, Lyon must follow. "If Juvia says so, it must be right!"

"You guys..." The Fullbuster face-palmed. At least he didn't have to go through all the trouble in an attempt to get through to that blockhead.

The deafening roar shaking the very earth brought them back to reality. "Quickly! We must get to the recuperation rooms ASAP!" And all argument had ceased as Mato continued forward, everyone else following immediately afterwards. Upon reaching the destined doors, the man threw his arms open as he took a deep breath. "I, Toma E. Fiore, hereby authorize these eight teams and their companions' access to these rooms at this time!" With that, several clicks sounded, the doors swinging open seconds later.

"Your Majesty?!" The three were confused as the Mages bowed down to the ground, especially since Natsu and Future Lucy had done so as well. Even all of Raven Tail wasn't excluded. _Raven Tail_. Strange indeed.

Seeing their confusion, the guy spoke up. "I am the King of Fiore, Toma E. Fiore. During each Grand Magic Games, I dress up as Mato and host each one."

"I see..." With that, they joined in the bowing.

But not for long. "Quickly! Get into the rooms!" And all had done so, rushing in.

"Body Anomaly Reversal Magic, Raise!" The green light swirling around each Mage restored what had been missing: their Magic. Whew. Thank goodness Wendy could cast that spell despite no one being able to use their Magic; what reversed repressing effects could not itself be repressed. Whew indeed.

With that, the top-of-the-line healers could get to work. And work they did. "I feel so much better already." Everyone agreed with the pyro as their energy returned to them while those who had injuries also felt their pain fade into nothingness. Even Flare's hair was restored as though she hadn't had the worst haircut in all of history.

"About time you guys got better!" The surprises have yet to end. Who knew Lucy wasn't the only one with a slightly older version of herself?

Said slightly older version gasped at the sight. "How did you guys get here?!"

"Am I seeing double?!" Well, there seemed to be doubles of Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Wendy standing before the rooms...only that they were all dressed in cloaks.

And those four from the present could not say they were any less confounded than Naruto was. Natsu's eyes cannoned into oblivion. "But how?!"

"Yeah, how?!" Future Lucy echoed. "I don't remember you guys coming in with me!"

Future Natsu stuck his tongue out. "We snuck in after you!" He crossed his arms. "What makes you think we would leave you on your own?!"

"We're in this together!" Future Wendy cried out.

Future Erza crossed her arms. "We couldn't just let you go out on your own you know. We were surveying the circumstances earlier and know that we need to help more than ever."

"What kind of friends would we be if we abandoned you?" Future Gray smirked.

Her mouth hung wide open at all that. "Minna..."

"Body Anomaly Reversal Magic, Raise!" Four sets of eyes widened as the green light enveloped them this time around. The Marvell smiled at them. "Thank you so much for your help!"

And those four sets of eyes widened even further as Elfman pushed them into one of the recuperation rooms. "In you go!" And the top-of-the-line healers beelined for them, rejuvenating them to full capacity in a flash.

"You guys better find a safe place." The Dragneel addressed the three. "Things won't be pretty." A wide grin graced his face as he cracked his knuckles. "We need to get to fighting!"

However, the appearance of three pistol-like contraptions stopped him short as they drew his—and everyone else's—attention. A smug smile spread across Naruto's lips. "We're not going to let you leave us out of this!"

"Bullets won't help much." The Scarlet quirked a brow.

She only received a smirk in response. "These aren't ordinary guns; these guns are known as Evokers and their bullets Personas...since the bullets take on the personalities of those who fire them." Itachi explained, echoing the words he once heard once more. "These guns are special. They were developed by S.E.E.S—Special Extracurricular Execution Squad—and given to each student attending Gekkoukan High School in Tatsumi Port Island as well as those who commuted from Iwatodai. We were told each Evoker can sense the personality of its wielder and accommodates its abilities to fit its wielder with themes based off of tarot cards."

"...Okay." Both Natsus' eyes became swirls as their heads spun. Poor guys.

Sasuke sighed. "It means that these aren't ordinary guns with ordinary bullets. After visiting Fushichō, these are even less ordinary guns with even less ordinary bullets because of The Crystals." He shrugged. "However, only we will receive the boosts—"

"RRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Rubble fell down like rain as the entire foundation of the sturdy stadium shook. This can't be good.

It's time to get serious. Future Lucy raised her voice so she could be heard clearly by all. "My present self and I must find a way to reach the Eclipse Gate so we can try closing it so no more dragons can get through. Meanwhile, everyone else has to fight them off while protecting any and all civilians who have yet to reach safety."

"I'm going with you." All eyes turned to a slender well-endowed young woman with short light-colored hair and fringes framing her face wearing a black rose ornament on the left side of her head and donning a cloak clasped together by a star-shaped clip with feathery protrusions that covered her chest, shoulders, and mid-back over her blouse and shorts with the cloak flared at her feet—where it was divided into flowing sections secured by ribbons—in addition to a pair of black socks that stopped at her mid-thighs who had the Sabertooth mark located on the left side of her stomach as she approached the blondes. Their eyes widened upon seeing what was in her grasp. "I am Yukino Agria, a proud member of Sabertooth as well as a Celestial Spirit Mage, like you. We will need all 12 Ecliptic Zodiac Keys in order to close the Eclipse Gate. I have two of them in addition to a thirteenth."

Lucy gave a firm nod. "With the ten Ecliptic Zodiac Keys I have and your pair, we can close it together—"

"RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Shards scattered about as glass shattered under the sheer volume of the bellowing above, both Grays' and Lyon's walls of ice barely able to protect them from the sharp slivers strewn about.

Mato faced all the healers. "Go and aid anyone who has been injured. We have to act fast!"

"Right!" And they rushed off.

He then turned to the Mages and the three. "These dragons are not going to be easy opponents in the slightest. Fight as hard as you can and don't hold back one bit. The fate of Fiore—no the world hangs in the balance."

"Right." Not even the nefarious Raven Tail nor the holier-than-thou Sabertooth tried to object. There was too much at stake after all.

And Mato led the way as they all returned to the arena. "Oh hey first Master! Nice of you to join us!" Who was Natsu talking to?!

"How should we go about fighting the dragons?" Who was Gray talking to?!

Erza looked in the same direction as the other two. "What would be the best strategy?"

"How are we going to keep everyone safe?!" Who was Wendy talking to?!

Who was both teams of Fairy Tail and the future five talking to?! "Who are you guys talking to?!" Naruto _finally_ said that out loud.

"Oh right. You can't see what we can." The three watched as the Dragneel reached into his pocket, pulling out three slips. "Only members of Fairy Tail can see the first Master."

The Uzumaki gaped. "These are—"

"They're Fairy Tail Guild Marks." It was a wonder how his face hadn't split into two with how widely he was grinning. "You three are now officially honorary members of Fairy Tail!"

The blond beamed brighter than the sun at the prospect. "Alright!" He slapped his sticker on in no time flat, the tattoo latching on to his skin. "Cool!"

"Hn..." The Uchiha brothers applied their stamps far more slowly and in a much calmer manner. Now all three bore the Fairy Tail marks on their skin.

In an instant, a youthful girl bearing very long wavy pastel yellow-blonde hair that reached down to her feet with a single lock pointing upwards which framed large green eyes with no pupils and possessed peachy skin dressed in a frilly pink layered robe with a red ribbon tied in a bow around her neck with the chest bearing three blue diamond patterns with two blue triangles above with each series of these outlined in hot pink as well as wearing wing-like adornments around her ears and small hoop earrings too who was barefoot became visible. Said girl giggled. "Now you three can see me! I'm Mavis Vermillion! I may look like a 13-year-old, but I am actually a lot older than anyone else here and am the first Guild Master and the co-founder of Fairy Tail!"

"Hi, I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" The blond beamed.

His peer gave a nod. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Itachi Uchiha." The elder smiled. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

The beaming only got brighter and brighter. "It's nice to meet you—HUH?!" His hand fazed straight through her own.

She shrugged at that. "You're seeing a Thought Projection of me only members of Fairy Tail can see and hear. My real body is somewhere else." Her features hardened. "But this isn't the time for that; we have some butts to kick! Dragon butts!" At last they were back at the stadium...and things were definitely not looking good in the slightest; cracks lined the entirety of the structure of Domus Flau as the force field above struggled to withstand the beyond gale-force winds generated from thousands of beating reptilian wings. This is not good. This is not good at all. Emerald orbs narrowed. "We need to find the Eclipse Gate as fast as possible and get Lucy and Yukino there to close it. We can't let it be left open any longer; things can only get worse if it is."

"How can we possibly locate it?!" The Heartfilia cried as she gazed at the darkened sky. "The dragons make seeing where it could be all but impossible!"

Itachi scratched his chin. "Not necessarily; the place containing the highest concentration of dragons flying from one direction will most likely be where the Eclipse Gate will be." Those astute Uchiha eyes scanned through the heavens, picking up any and all subtle differences...which they found. "There!" The bullet shot forth in no time flat, its enhanced missile properties allowing it to avoid any obstacles—aka dragons—before embedding itself into its destined target. The man then flipped the hatch he had created on the side of his Evoker open, watching as a dot flared on the screen. "The Eclipse Gate is where my bullet is."

"But how can we possibly get there?!" Naruto cried. "We can't fly—"

The sound of smug smirking cut him off as Erza stepped up. "I have telekinesis and can use it to lift all of us up."

"Of course, as do I." Future Erza also sported a smug smirk.

Don't leave Rufus out though. "I possess telekinesis as well you know."

"Good." Lucy smiled. "All of the other Legal and Independent Guilds in Fiore should be doing their absolute best to protect everyone. We can't let their efforts go in vain."

Mato couldn't agree more. "As King of Fiore, I will be directing the efforts for guiding everyone to safety." He gave a single nod. "I wish everyone the very best of luck." And he chose that moment to break off from the group.

"To believe I would be working with the lot of you." Rufus sighed as he offered a shrug. "What a peculiar twist of events."

The Scarlet glared at him. "If we don't work together, we won't be having another Grand Magic Games as there will be no Fiore to host them in!"

"I know, I know, there's no need for nagging." The guy sighed. And with that, the two Erzas and Rufus concentrated, their minds able to lift the eight teams and the three up.

Itachi glanced back at the screen on his Evoker before gazing skyward once more. "I'll be giving directions."

"We have to fight off stupid dragons at the same time." Nullpudding scoffed. "Why does Raven Tail have to go along?"

Wendy narrowed her eyes. "We're doing this for everyone's sake."

"What, are you scared?" Gray stuck out his tongue at the demon. He was promptly followed by his future self and both Natsus.

Flare sneered. "Of course we aren't."

"This will be no laughing matter though." Sasuke sighed. "There is an innumerable number of giant ferocious dragons and more flooding in."

To his surprise, a wide grin graced the Uzumaki's lips. "Oh come on, we pretty much saved the world three times over already. Just how much harder will this be?"

"It won't be anything like what you've faced before, that's for sure. I guarantee it." Mavis's proclamation had Naruto's jaw dropping to the ground. What did she mean by that?!

* * *

Translation: Minna=Everyone

How was it?

**Please review! I really appreciate them and they motivate me to write more!**


End file.
